Archive for the ‘News Feed’ Category
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
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.
We have moved
Tuesday, August 24th, 2021
We have officially moved into our new offices. Our new address is 880 Harrow Street East, just across the parking lot from our previous location. Our phone number and email addresses remain the same.
Thank you for your patience during the move.
Recent Communications on Vaccine Mandates
Thursday, August 12th, 2021
To: All AESES Members
Many of you may have noticed in recent news and social media that the Manitoba Organization of Faculty Associations (MOFA) and the University of Winnipeg Faculty Association (UWFA) have been advocating for a vaccine mandate at Manitoba universities.
While AESES recognizes the position that both MOFA and UWFA have taken, deciding to support a vaccine mandate is a complex matter with many variables to take into consideration. We would like to emphasize that AESES supports and encourages all eligible members to be fully vaccinated; however, we are still weighing the implications of supporting a vaccine mandate at this time. More information is needed and we also want to hear from our membership through a planned upcoming survey.
We understand the frustration and anxiety that many of our members are feeling about returning to work in some capacity. Many of you want answers on how your safety will be protected once you return to the workplace and answers have not been clearly communicated by either university yet. We will continue to press for appropriate safety standards just as we have been doing since the start of the pandemic. If you have a particular safety concern in your department, this should be directed to your Local Area Safety & Health Committee at the UM or to the Safety Office at the UW.
Although AESES encourages everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated, and to follow the provincial health guidelines and recommendations, we also realize there are some members who may be unable to get vaccinated. If you are someone who is unable to be vaccinated and may require an accommodation depending on your unique situation, please contact the AESES labour relations staff to review your situation and obtain guidance (email: aeses@aeses.ca). For those who are eligible but still hesitant to be vaccinated, we strongly encourage you to consult with your family doctor about vaccine safety.
As a work community, we should always respect and support each other’s right to safety in the workplace. In this pandemic environment, that includes protecting each other by ensuring we have a community that is less likely to transmit the COVID-19 virus. We are fortunate that in Manitoba we have a high rate of vaccination. At the time of writing this message, 80.6% of eligible Manitobans (ages 12+) have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 73.2% have received two doses. Let’s do what we can to continue these strong vaccination numbers and support each other in the workplace. Not only are we protecting ourselves by being vaccinated, we’re also protecting our co-workers and their children who are too young to be vaccinated.
Thank you.
AESES Executive Council
Visiting our office
Friday, August 6th, 2021
We will continue to require masks when visiting our office. Our priority is the health and safety of our staff, members, and the community.