Archive for the ‘News Feed’ Category
Extra, Extra: insideAESES Newsletter (December 2021)
Wednesday, December 1st, 2021
Welcome to December! The snow has arrived, and before you realize it, the calendar will have flipped over to 2022.
Grab a tall glass of egg nog and take a few minutes to read the latest edition of insideAESES. Inside this issue, you will find:
- A message from Laurie Morris, AESES President, including an update about the PSSA
- More about the definition of “flex” time
- A report about the Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU) convention
- 50th Anniversary planning
- Ongoing union and member grievances
- The 2022 proposed budget
AESES featured in the Fall 2021 edition of CCU Connections
Wednesday, November 24th, 2021
The Fall 2021 edition of CCU Connections is available to view. AESES members are featured with an article about the landfall victory over temporary layoffs from the University of Manitoba.
Read more here: ccu-csc.ca/fall-2021-edition-of-ccu-connections-now-online
Letter of Support for UMFA – November 2, 2021
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021
November 2, 2021
President Orvie Dingwall
University of Manitoba Faculty Association
100-29 Dysart Road
Winnipeg, MB
R3T 2M7
Dear Orvie,
AESES is disturbed that the Manitoba Conservative government continues to interfere in free and fair collective bargaining at the University of Manitoba through the PSSA and continued wage restraint mandates. We agree that this continued intrusion has created a great amount of damage to the university community through demoralization of all staff and interruptions to students’ learning. It is time for the university administration to stand up to the Manitoba government to defend its community.
AESES stands in solidarity with UMFA in their fight to be able to freely bargain a fair contract with the University of Manitoba.
In solidarity,
Laurie R. Morris
President
AESES
AESES COVID-19 Assistance Fund to close November 12, 2021
Thursday, October 7th, 2021
At the outset of the pandemic, AESES quickly realized the negative financial impact layoffs and reduced hours were having on our members. This led us to implement our COVID-19 Assistance Fund, which has provided grocery assistance to hundreds of our members and their families over the past 17 months.
Unfortunately, this assistance isn’t available indefinitely and we’re now at a point where the few applicants we have left are applying to the fund based on the work situation of their family members versus their own work circumstances. Given this, AESES has made the difficult decision to wrap-up the COVID-19 Assistance Fund.
However, we wanted to ensure that we provide ample notice to those members who are still regularly applying to the fund. Therefore, we are informing you that the fund will close as of November 12, 2021 at 12:00 pm. We are timing the closure to coincide with the two week application window so that all AESES members will have had an equal opportunity to apply for support since the fund’s inception. Depending when you usually apply to the fund, the last dates to apply will be either November 5, 2021 or November 12, 2021.
We sincerely hope that this assistance fund has made a difference to you and your family.
Will Christie
Chair, AESES COVID-19 Assistance Fund
Extra, Extra: insideAESES Newsletter (October 2021)
Friday, October 1st, 2021
Welcome to October! The warm temperatures sure do not make it feel like fall, but soon it will be time to pull those flannel shirts and cozy blankets out from storage.
Grab a pumpkin spice beverage or snack and take a few moments to read the latest edition of insideAESES. Inside this issue, you will find:
- A message from Laurie Morris, AESES President, including an update on the AESES-UM temporary layoff and recall grievances
- A report about the AESES Town Halls
- A FAQ to common questions relating to the vaccine mandates and return to work
- A reminder about the upcoming Fall Education Seminars
- Ongoing union and member grievances
- A call for AESES Constitution and Bylaw changes
Bursary Opportunities – Deadline October 1, 2021
Friday, September 24th, 2021
October 1 is fast approaching, and it is also the deadline for the AESES Bursary and the CCU/CSC John St-Amand / Madeleine Parent Bursary. To ensure your dependent child is included in the selection process, please apply before the deadline.
AESES Bursary
Dependent children (who are under 25 years of age prior to enrollment in the current academic year) of signed AESES members studying at either The University of Winnipeg (UW)or the University of Manitoba (UM) may be eligible to apply for one of our $1000 bursaries.
Details for UW Students
Three $1000 bursaries are available at UW. More information and to apply is available here: UW’s Office of Awards and Financial Aid
Details for UM Students
Seven $1000 bursaries are available at UM. More information and to apply is available here: UM’s Financial Aid and Awards Office
CCU/CSC John St-Amand Bursary and Madeleine Parent Bursary
The Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU/CSC) provides annual bursaries of $1000 for dependent children of members of unions belonging to the CCU/CSC to further their post-secondary education.
Visit John St-Amand / Madeleine Parent Bursary page for more information and to apply.
AESES Fall Education Seminars – Register today!
Tuesday, September 21st, 2021
The AESES Education Committee would like to offer members five seminars to help you fall into fall 2021.
Beading Workshop | Tuesday, October 19 | 6:30 – 8:30 pmFULLIn-Person Pasta Making | Wednesday, October 27 | 6:30 – 9:00 pmFULL- Let’s discuss Discipline and Grievances | Tuesday, November 2 | 6:00 – 8:00 pm
- In-Person Hot Yoga | Saturday, November 6 | 9:30 – 10:30 am
- Paint and Wine Night | Wednesday, November 17 | 6:00 – 8:30 pm
All seminars will be conducted online (unless noted) and have limited capacity. AESES will be accepting registrations up to one week before the seminar (unless full or otherwise noted).
AESES-UM Temporary Layoff and Recall Grievances
Wednesday, September 15th, 2021
September 15, 2021
Following nearly sixteen (16) months of working through the grievance process, AESES is pleased to announce the resolution of our 2020 layoff and recall grievances. The final settlement totals approximately $1.5 million dollars and forms the largest grievance settlement in AESES’ history. Also included in this resolution was the restoration of pension, seniority, vacation and benefits premiums recovery.
These grievances challenged the University of Manitoba’s actions in issuing temporary layoffs to over two hundred (200) AESES members at the outset of the pandemic. AESES argued that the University’s approach was contrary to the provisions of the Collective Agreement. This lengthy process included seven (7) full days of mediation with Arbitrator Arne Peltz and included several hundred hours of meetings, phone calls, and thorough examination of the many document exchanges with the University.
Beginning in April 2021, discussions with the University moved forward more positively. From there, a concerted effort was made by both parties to focus on a fair settlement rather than to pursue the formal grievance process, which likely would have required another twelve (12) months or longer to reach a resolution. The growing financial burden on many of our members—including a large number that were still laid off—meant that pursuing a quicker resolution would be more advantageous than going through a protracted grievance process with no certainty in the outcome.
In total, one hundred and ninety-five (195) temporarily laid off AESES members are receiving a financial remedy from the settlement. Twelve (12) additional laid off members were left outside the settlement due to their Sessional employee category, which permitted annual temporary layoffs in accordance with the Collective Agreement. Although not all laid off members could be included or expected to receive the same level of remedy, we believe that more AESES members were captured in this settlement rather than if we had followed through to arbitration.
AESES has worked long and hard to support our members during this process. As of the time of this communication, nearly all members have either been returned to their positions or have been given access to their formal position discontinuance rights as outlined in Article 10 of the Collective Agreement.
Finally, AESES would like to thank the patience of the many impacted members who were in contact with us throughout this difficult process and were only provided limited details due to the confidential nature of the resolution process. We know this was frustrating, but we trust that the outcome has provided some relief from this challenging situation.
In solidarity,
Laurie Morris
AESES President
Related:
UM Today: Settlement reached between UM and AESES on behalf of employees laid off in Summer 2020
AESES Town Hall – Vaccination Mandates and Return to Work
Friday, September 3rd, 2021
We invite all AESES members to attend one of the upcoming Town Hall meetings to discuss vaccination mandates and return to work at the University of Manitoba and The University of Winnipeg via videoconference using Zoom.
Thank you, but all our sessions are over.
