Posts Tagged ‘insideAESES February 2025’
Can You Tell Me: How Seniority Plays a Role in Vacancy Selections
Saturday, February 3rd, 2024
Seniority and Vacancy Selections
Seniority may play a significant role in vacancy selections, as outlined in the collective agreements of both the University of Manitoba (UM) and the University of Winnipeg (UW). Specifically, Article 6.3 of these agreements mandates that employees with greater seniority be given preference in filling vacancies, provided their qualifications are “relatively equal” to those of less senior candidates.
The term “relatively equal” refers to the need for qualifications to be sufficiently comparable, rather than identical. For instance, if a position requires an undergraduate degree and two years of experience, a senior employee with a comparable combination of education and experience should be given preference. The core consideration is that the qualifications must be demonstrably relevant to the role in question.
In situations where a junior employee holds higher qualifications, but these qualifications are not directly applicable to the position, the senior employee’s qualifications—more aligned with the role’s requirements—should take precedence. However, seniority preference does not imply that a senior employee will be automatically overlooked if a junior employee holds qualifications that are more directly suited to the position due to prior experience in a similar role. Ultimately, the priority remains on the relevance of an applicant’s qualifications to the specific requirements of the position.
The collective agreements mandate transparency in the selection process. If a junior applicant is selected over a more senior candidate, the employer might expect a request to provide a rationale for the decision, as outlined in Article 6.3.1 at the UM and Article 6.6 at the UW. Senior applicants have the right to discuss these reasons with the relevant administrator, and the union may request access to this information through Human Resources.
Should a grievance arise regarding the selection, the appointment is deemed temporary until the grievance is resolved. If the grievance results in a reversal of the decision, the employee initially appointed will return to their prior position or a comparable vacancy, as per Article 6.3.4 at UM or Article 6.6.1 at UW.
If concerns arise regarding the application of seniority or qualifications, AESES can provide support and clarification. A good first step would be to start by asking the hiring manager for the rationale and, if insufficient, follow up with the AESES Labour Team at LabourTeam@aeses.ca. Phone calls can also be directed to the Business Office at 204-949-5200.
Call for Volunteers – Diversity Committee and the Board
Saturday, February 3rd, 2024
Help shape the future of AESES by filling an open position in these important roles!
- Diversity Committee
- Education Committee
- University of Manitoba, Districts 4, 5, 30, and 34.
- The University of Winnipeg, Districts 52 and 56.
- St. Andrew’s College, District 61
New members would be appointed for a two-year term ending on April 30, 2026.
Contact the AESES Business Office at 204-949-5200 or aeses@aeses.ca to learn more.
Spring Education Seminars Coming Soon
Saturday, February 3rd, 2024
We have a large selection of seminars taking place in April, May and June which include:
- Kombucha SCOBY Making Seminar
- Pysanka (Easter Egg) Decorating Seminar with a Tour of the Ukrainian Labour Temple
- Wooden Spoon Carving
- Ballroom Dancing
- Paint Night
- Labour Relations Topics
- East Indian Cooking Class
The dates, locations, and registration information will be sent to members soon.
Save the Date – Annual General Meeting – April 8
Saturday, February 3rd, 2024
Tuesday, April 8, 7:00 PM
All signed* AESES union members are invited and encouraged to attend this year’s virtual AESES Annual General Meeting (AGM). In 2024, we had many members join us for the evening.
The AGM allows our executive team and committee chairs to review AESES financials with attendees, speak about the union’s activities, explain how our programs can benefit our membership, and preside over a question period.
Join us on April 8 to meet the people behind the decision-making process for spending your union dues and learn more about our programs and services. There will also be time for asking questions to members of the Executive Council and the Board.
Registration details and the 2024 AGM Annual Report will be available in March.
* Please note that only signed AESES members can attend the AGM and vote on any issues that arise. If you are interested in attending the AGM but not yet a signed member, please visit aeses.ca/membership to fill out a membership form.
Safety and Health Corner – February 2025
Saturday, February 3rd, 2024
Safety & Health Committee Update
The Committee held its first meeting on October 22, 2024. The Committee members appreciated this new forum to be able to get together and discuss the similarities and differences of the various university safety and health committees’ endeavours and operations they sit on. As a result, the AESES Business Office on behalf of the committee is looking at ways to better ease communications and information sharing between meetings. The Committee’s next meeting is planned to be held in early 2025.
Please watch for updates on the Committee’s activities regularly in the newsletter. 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.
UM Fort Gary Campus November 19, 2024 Incident – Report of an Individual with a Knife
In response to the incident, the AESES President, Executive Director and Labour Relations Officer met with the UM President on November 26 to bring forth concerns shared with us by the membership regarding the communication and response during the incident. Following feedback received from AESES and the university community, and as outlined in UM’s Emergency Response Plan, the UM leadership and Emergency Response Team reviewed the relevant protocols following this incident. The review was completed in late December with several areas of improvement identified, some of which have already been implemented. The UM Emergency Procedures and Response Plan is available online: umanitoba.ca/security/emergency-procedures
Campus Security Tips
Both UM and UW have Working Alone policies and procedures, Safe apps, Safe Walk and Safe Ride programs. Please familiarize yourself with these policies/programs if you think they will be of help to you.
If you have any workplace safety and health items which you would like to bring to the committee’s attention, please email: labourteam@aeses.ca.
President’s Message – February 2025
Saturday, February 3rd, 2024
February is upon us, and with it, the hope of an early spring since Manitoba Merv did not happen to see their shadow – if you believe in that sort of thing. While the winter solstice is behind us and the days are getting longer, there are still cold days ahead.
And nights.
Indeed, the coldest night of the year will be here on February 22! I know, I know – I am no meteorologist, and even good ones cannot forecast this far in advance. I am referring, of course, to the Coldest Night of the Year Fundraising Walk, and Chris McCann’s Crew: Team AESES. The team will walk in support of the St. Boniface Street Links program. Chris was an ardent supporter of this event and had been pivotal in AESES’ involvement since 2023. We felt naming the team after him would be a fitting tribute. Our very own Colleen Thompson is Team Captain, please get in touch with her if you would like to join us on the walk. If you would rather donate from the comfort of your home, please visit this link. We truly appreciate your support for this worthy cause.
If walking in the cold is not your cup of tea, we have a variety of other activities coming up in the next few months that may interest you, including our popular bowling night and annual Members’ Day Lunches. Keep watching for more details on these and other entertaining and educational activities.
AESES hosted a surprise retirement party for outgoing Executive Director Lisa McKendry on December 16, and it was well attended by colleagues, friends, family and even professional adversaries from past and present. The diversity of the attendees stands as a testament to how beloved and respected Lisa was at AESES, the universities, and the entire labour community. Lisa will be missed around the business office.
Colleen Thompson is settling nicely into her new role as Executive Director, which means the business office is still down one staff member. We have posted for a new Member Services Officer, and interest has been encouraging, with many applications coming in. The posting closed on February 2, so I hope to have an update in the next edition.
AESES has also been working hard advocating for you and protecting your rights under our collective agreements. Our excellent Labour Relations Team remains busy and vigilant ensuring that your rights and entitlements are protected. Please don’t hesitate to contact them at labourteam@aeses.ca if you feel like you are being unfairly treated or your rights under our collective agreement are being compromised. Any discussions with the AESES Business Office are confidential and handled discreetly.
The University of Winnipeg members of AESES will begin bargaining with the employer imminently, and while recent federal policy changes regarding International Student Enrollment have caused great concern for the fiscal outlook of the institution, our members deserve to be paid what they are worth. We are expecting a robust series of negotiations.
You will notice that these missives will be coming a wee bit more frequently but will also be markedly less lengthy. This is in hopes of doing our very best to keep you informed in a timely fashion. We hope you like the change!
In Solidarity,
Rob
Contract Admin
Sunday, October 1st, 2023
February 2025
Here are the cases that our members are currently facing with each employer as of February 1, 2025.
University of Manitoba
- The member grievance filed on behalf of a member alleging that the University failed to reasonably accommodate the member in a return to work following extended medical leave was settled prior to Arbitration.
- A new member grievance was filed on behalf of a member who received a 1-day suspension for allegedly poor performance.
- A new member grievance was filed on behalf of a member alleging the University failed to reasonably accommodate the member’s return to work following a medical leave.
The University of Winnipeg
- None
October 2024
Here are the cases that our members are currently facing with each employer as of October 1, 2024.
University of Manitoba
- The grievance filed on behalf of a member whose family status issue was not adequately accommodated by the University has been referred to arbitration.
- The member grievance filed on behalf of a member who received a 2-day suspension for allegedly failing to provide an adequate level of service based on their training was denied at the First Stage and has been referred to Second Stage.
The University of Winnipeg
- None