Author: darcyhryn

ASPA continues to have a number of open grievances, twenty (20) to be exact.  These grievances are the same ones that were open since the last update in November, which you can read here.

We continue to wait for two (2) Arbitration awards.   Both were heard last year. However; just last week, ASPA did receive an award on a wrongful layoff grievance that we had filed.   The arbitrator ruled in favour of the Union and we now await discussion with the employer as to the implementation of this award.  The award affirms that the employer cannot lay a permanent member off if the majority of their work continues to exist and moves to another member or individual as outlined in Article 16. 

Continue reading “Grievance Update”

Written by Darcy Hryn-Bird, ASPA Member Services

Our Member Services Officer, Darcy Hryn-Bird, is currently handling twenty-one (21) active grievances.  Unsure  what a grievance is or how to file one?  For more information go here.

Most of the outstanding grievances are related to the employer failing to deduct Association dues from several positions across campus.  ASPA has been raising this issue with the Employer for the last number of years and started to file grievances when it became clear that our message was not being heard.  The grieved positions are currently in the “Research” group and are not in the scope of any bargaining unit.   We believe that these positions are similar to what our members are currently doing.  The reason that ASPA is pursuing these grievances is not to get more dues or increase our membership, but to ensure that employees of the University have been appropriately placed in a bargaining unit. We have made some progress on a few of the grievances in this area, but the movement is slow going.   Continue reading “Grievance Updates”

It is that time of year again.  Every year at this time people’s thoughts turn to Merit.   What is it and how do I get it?

Merit is outlined in the Collective Agreement (Article 9.5).  Merit is awarded in either a lump sum or an “add to base” allocation to ASPA members when their “proficiency, growth and levels of performance are considerably better than what is viewed as normal and recognizes exceptional contributions.”

It is intended that up to 60% of eligible ASPA members will be awarded a merit award in any given year with approximately two thirds receiving base salary merit increase and the other one third receiving lump sum bonuses.

Eligibility for Merit requires that a member “must be in the same position, in the same department as of November 1 of the current fiscal year” (Article 9.6.2).  Neither your individual status nor the status of the position you are in determine your eligibility for Merit.

The exact merit process depends on the unit/department/college that you are working in.  Most units/departments/colleges have their own process.  As a general comment however it is the ASPA member’s responsibility to submit documentation to their supervisor in order to be considered for merit.  You should speak to your supervisor about when this documentation needs to be submitted by and what the exact process is.  Your unit/department/college will need to provide Human Resources the names of those selected for Merit by June 15^th.

For more information on Merit or to access the forms please go to: https://working.usask.ca/manageperformance/considerpositionreview.php  or contact ASPA’s Member Services Officer at darcy@aspasask.ca or 306-966-7392.