Welcome back! Hopefully you have had some time off over the summer. Now we leave the peace and solitude of campus in summer and enter the start of another school year. What a fantastic time of year. I love seeing the fresh faces arriving on campus. Those faces contain so many different expressions. Some are eager with anticipation, some with pure excitement and some with even shock and wonder as they start a new year of classes. Some have the zombie-like gaze of a Pokemon Go hunter. Whatever their expression is, their arrival is a great reminder of what our purpose is on this campus.
ASPA, CUPE 1975 and the University are close to completing work on the ASPA/CUPE scope project that has taken 8 years to complete. This ends only to have us embark on another jurisdiction project.
The University has recently provided ASPA with a list of 111 people in positions that they believe meet the definition of ‘supervisor’ according to the Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA). The SEA has created a new definition of “supervisory employee” which applies to anyone whose primary function is that of supervision. While the university has the option to grandfather our supervisory members into ASPA, they have elected not to and have indicated they intend to take this to the Labour Relations Board sometime in September to have them removed from ASPA. It remains to be seen whether the primary function of these members is actually supervision. Employees that have been deemed ‘supervisors’ can belong to a separate ‘supervisory bargaining unit’. ASPA will be in contact with all of our members that have been identified on this list.
I would like everyone to know that Jay Shanahan, one of ASPA’s Vice Presidents is leaving the university. Jay’s portfolio during his time as VP was that of member issues. He had also taken a lead role in the communications committee and spearheaded the years of service gift program that ASPA started this year. While we are sorry to see him go, we wish him all the best in his new endeavours.
For the past year or so the unions on campus have been meeting to discuss items of mutual concern or interest. It was at one of these meetings that the unions agreed to take on the Welcome Week pancake breakfast. You are invited to join us for breakfast in the bowl on Thursday, September 8 from 7:30 to 9:30 or until we run out of pancakes. Pop by to say “Hi” and to meet some of the ASPA Executive members. I look forward to seeing you on the 8th!
Sincerely,
Dawn Giesbrecht
ASPA President
ASPA (Administrative and Supervisory Personnel Association) 