Posts Tagged ‘insdieAESES’
President’s Message – October 2026
Thursday, October 1st, 2026
Hello, AESES!
As the foliage shifts from green to yellow and orange we know that autumn has truly arrived in Manitoba. While students settle into their schedules, they will bid farewell to the constellations of the summer triangle as they greet the great square of Pegasus rising over the prairie harvest.
For AESES members, fall brings a new slate of events from both the Activities Committee and the Education Committee. The Education Committee is offering new seminars this Fall, so please look out for that announcement in this month’s insideAESES for the details. The Activities Committee is deeply involved planning this year’s AESES Children’s Winter Holiday Extravaganza for Sunday, November 29. If you are planning to attend, please register before the October 27 deadline so we can plan accordingly.
The University of Manitoba will be hosting the ASE Career Fair on Tuesday, October 6 in the MPR in UMSU University Centre. This is a wonderful opportunity to display one of Manitoba’s post-secondary cornerstones that AESES members support and encourage another generation of students to further their education. Likewise, The University of Winnipeg will be hosting their career fair on January 26, 2027. I will be reminding everyone of that opportunity in December’s insideAESES.
October brings fall convocations at both institutions involving many AESES members in the preparations for and during the ceremonies. The University of Winnipeg will host their Convocation and PACE Graduation Celebrations on October 15. The University of Manitoba will host Convocation Celebrations at the Fort Garry campus on October 20-22.
The UM Bargaining Team has also been hard at work these past few months, caucusing and meeting several times with the employer for subcommittee meetings. As we resolve non-monetary issues, we will soon begin to discuss a financial package with cost-of-living increases, which is primarily on the minds of our membership. Needless to say, we will remind the University of Manitoba of our provincial government’s discussions of catching up and keeping up. Public updates are posted at aeses.ca/aeses-um-bargaining-2026 when available.
Finally, I hope everyone was able to take time on Wednesday, September 30 to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day. Our Land Acknowledgements are only a small part of the recognition of the role of Indigenous peoples in building the nation we enjoy today. The legacy of residential schools is a nadir in Canada’s history and something to sombrely reflect upon to ensure that it never occurs again. As union members, we value protection against unfair treatment and discrimination. It is especially important for us to support those same values and work toward rebuilding our relationship with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Nation communities. At the University of Manitoba, that spirit of healing is demonstrated with the newly renamed L’offis Wiichihihwahk (formerly the Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous)). L’offis Wiichihihwahk is a Michif name meaning “the office that helps” and was gifted to them by UM Elder Charlotte Nolin. At The University of Winnipeg, the Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre is their bridge to reconciliation and offers educational and cultural programming rooted in Indigenous knowledge to the community. Wii Chiiwaakanak is Ojibwe for “walking together.” Both offices offer Indigenous resources, stories, and education.
In Solidarity,
Will Christie
Safety and Health Corner – October 2026
Thursday, October 1st, 2026
AESES-Appointed Representatives on Workplace Safety and Health Committees
Most workplace safety and health committees at UM and UW have an official representative appointed by AESES. This representative serves as a formal connection between the committee and AESES.
AESES-appointed representatives receive paid time away from their regular duties to participate in workplace safety and health committee meetings, working alongside employer representatives to address workplace safety and health matters. They provide meeting minutes to AESES and bring workplace safety and health concerns to the union’s attention when appropriate. Appointments are generally for two years and may be renewed.
AESES-appointed representatives also participate on a separate AESES Safety & Health Committee, which normally meets twice a year outside of regular working hours.
Most AESES appointments are currently filled, but there are a few vacancies:
UM Local Area Safety and Health (LASH) Committees:
- Architecture
- Education, St. Paul’s, St. John’s, NCTR or CATL
- Faculty of Arts
For more information about UM LASH Committees, visit the UM Intranet.
If you are interested in becoming an AESES-appointed official representative on one of the committees listed above, contact labourteam@aeses.ca before October 16, 2026.
The AESES Safety & Health Committee looks at workplace safety and health issues from a union-wide perspective. If you have a concern you believe should be brought to the committee’s attention, contact labourteam@aeses.ca.
Can You Tell Me: What is a Letter of Expectation?
Thursday, October 1st, 2026
AESES members may sometimes be issued a Letter of Expectation, taking the form of a coaching letter, a list of areas for improvement, or a similar type of instructive document. Letters of Expectation are generally intended to clarify management guidelines about matters such as attendance, communication and conduct, job performance, or workplace procedures. These are areas where the Employer has the right to determine expectations and set standards, which are outlined in both the UW and UM Collective Agreements under Article 4 “Employer’s Rights.”
The important thing to know about Letters of Expectation is that, although they can seem formal, they are intended to be non-disciplinary. The Employer issues formal discipline for alleged culpable activity or misconduct, and the discipline process is covered in Article 9 in both the UW and UM Collective Agreements. Letters of Expectation, on the other hand, do not normally indicate that the employee has done anything seriously wrong or that any immediate action will be taken against them. They are normally issued well in advance of any areas of concern crossing the line into formal discipline.
Letters of Expectation are usually placed in the employee’s file. Unlike formal disciplinary documents such as an Oral Warning issued under Article 9, Letters of Expectation do not always have a timeline for removal from the employee’s file. They may be referred to or reviewed with the employee at a future date and, if the concerns outlined in the letter continue, may be considered as part of a future disciplinary process. For these reasons, it is a good idea to carefully read the letter and understand the expectations being communicated, as well as keep a copy for your own records.
Employees can have a different perspective on workplace expectations than their supervisor and may disagree with the document’s contents. If you are issued a Letter of Expectation or similar document, it is good practice to listen before responding and to remain professional. If you disagree with any of the issues or concerns in the Letter of Expectations, they do not have to be resolved immediately. Take time to consider the feedback, clarify the expectations with your supervisor, and consider providing your perspective afterwards. If you are unsure about the document or feel that something isn’t right, contact AESES for advice before responding.
Letters of Expectation are not specifically outlined by our Collective Agreements at the UM or UW. They are generally intended to be constructive and focused on minor course corrections, improvement, and coaching, and often do not require any immediate action from AESES. However, if a letter contains inaccurate information, sets unreasonable expectations, or raises concerns about whether it is being used appropriately, the AESES Labour Team can provide guidance. Please reach out to us at LabourTeam@aeses.ca or 204-949-5200.
Can You Tell Me: What is a Performance Review?
Monday, June 1st, 2026
A Performance Review can sometimes be a stressful or uncomfortable experience for AESES members. Members should understand that Performance Reviews are outlined in our Collective Agreements, including the purpose for having them as well as ways that Employees can engage with the process.
The process for a Performance Review is similar at both Universities. At the University of Manitoba, Annual Performance Reviews are encouraged for all regular (continuing or sessional) full-time and part-time Employees in Article 30. At the University of Winnipeg, under Article 24.7.3, a Performance Review should be completed within 20 working days preceding the Employee’s Anniversary Increment Date, which is normally on an annual basis for Employees working full-time hours (but may be less frequent for Employees working less than full-time hours). Both Collective Agreements also refer to a Performance Review form, provided by the Employer, typically filled out by the Employee’s direct supervisor and reviewed together during a Performance Review meeting.
The purpose of a formal review as outlined in each Collective Agreement is to provide a fair evaluation of the Employee’s performance in their job, assisting them with developing and improving their skills. The review process is intended to be constructive, not punitive, and whenever performance is evaluated as unsatisfactory, the Employer should identify the areas for improvement and suggest a path to remedy the issues. The review is also not intended as a one-way assessment. Where an Employee wants to provide their own feedback, additional information for context, or disagrees with the review, both Collective Agreements (UW 24.7.3, UM 30.3) allow them to include their own comments. These comments can be either added to the review form itself or in a separate document to be attached to the form and included with it in the Employee’s file.
While the Performance Review meeting can sometimes be uncomfortable, it is a workplace conversation meant to provide feedback and set expectations. As such, members are not entitled to Union representation at the meeting. Both Collective Agreements also mention that the completed Performance Review form should be provided to the Employee after the meeting to read and sign. Refusing to sign the review may be interpreted by the Employer as insubordination and subject to discipline. Signing the Performance Review form only indicates that the Employee has had a chance to read the form, and is not an acknowledgement that they agree with the comments or the review.
AESES encourages members who have any questions about the Performance Review process to contact our Business Office at 204-949-5200 or LabourTeam@aeses.ca.
Safety and Health Corner – December 2025
Monday, December 1st, 2025
AESES Safety & Health Committee Update
The Committee last met on April 1st and recently held their Fall meeting on November 20th. At this recent meeting, there was a general check-in discussion regarding both UM and UW’s current practices and adherence to workplace safety and health legislation. The Committee members shared they are continuing to monitor incident reporting and prevention auditing practices as well as training provisions in their assigned areas. To be able to share concerns regarding these matters with the AESES Labour Team when they are identified. No major area-wide concerns requiring action were noted. Any workplace safety and health items you would like to bring to the committee’s attention can be emailed to labourteam@aeses.ca.
For more info on UM Local Area Safety and Health (LASH) committees, visit the UM Intranet website. For more information on the UW Workplace Safety & Health Committee, visit the UW Human Resources website.
The Committee members expressed at the previous meeting that they wanted a way to stay connected between meetings, as this Committee only meets twice per year. At the most recent meeting, it was announced that a MS Teams Channel was created for the Committee for this purpose. Another request of the Committee was for more educational resources. The AESES office is happy to announce that we were able to secure a new educational resource to fulfill this request: The Plexman Comic.
The Plexman Comic
AESES collaborated with international professional workplace safety expert, Dan Plexman, to provide an educational resource for all of our members on workplace safety and health: The Plexman Comic.
The Plexman Comic provides a modernized perspective on workplace safety and health in an easily digestible format. We hope this new resource serves the Committee’s and AESES’ shared goal of having our members be more supportive and connected to safety and health in the workplace.
A limited number of printed comics were purchased to provide our AESES’ Safety & Health Committee members. An electronic version is available for all members to view here: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/8e318221c3.html
Any workplace safety and health items you would like to bring to the committee’s attention can be emailed to labourteam@aeses.ca.
- For more info on UM Local Area Safety and Health (LASH) committees, visit the UM Intranet website.
- For more information on the UW Workplace Safety & Health Committee, visit the UW Human Resources website.