Hello ASPA members,
May 1st is International Worker’s Day – or May Day – observed in many countries around the world. May Day commemorates the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labour movement and can be traced back to the Haymarket Riot in Chicago in 1886, fueled by the political and social climate of the industrial revolution and a workers’ fight for the eight-hour workday. Although Canada and the United States later chose to celebrate worker’s rights on the first weekend of September, May Day continues to stand for the values of equality, solidarity, and internationalism.
May 1st also marks the beginning of USask’s fiscal year and is the day that a negotiated across-the-board raise of 2% takes effect, along with your increment increase (depending on your quartile placement, an additional 0.5-2%). You can review your salary under the PAWS channel “Pay and Time Reporting” by clicking on “Compensation History.”
These raises were achieved by the work of the ASPA Bargaining Committee, as can be seen in the 2022 – 2026 ASPA Collective Agreement. This is the final year of the current negotiated contract, and we encourage you to stay engaged and informed as we prepare for a new round of bargaining in the months ahead.
In solidarity,
Your ASPA Executive