The UW Staff Association is the official voice of staff at the University of Waterloo. Our mission is to cultivate a progressive work environment where employees feel safe, empowered to grow, and able to thrive.
News
President's Report: February 2026
Alyssa’s February report addresses the Memorandum of Agreement revisions, 2026 salary increases, the University budget update, the University Pension Plan (UPP), the Flexible and Hybrid Work Guidelines, and the Board of Governors election.
Staff Association agreement progress update
The UW–UWSA Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) outlines how the University and the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) collaborate on issues and policies that affect University Support Group (USG) staff.
The working group has been meeting weekly since November and is making steady progress toward key changes, including establishing a more structured and formal salary negotiation process and reviewing the scope of UWSA membership.
President's Report: January 2026
Alyssa’s report covers our Memorandum of Agreement revisions, the University budget, flexible and hybrid work, workplace accommodations, transparency around our conversations with UW, the Strategic Talent Performance Framework, opportunities for staff to shape UW leadership, and more.
Events
March 2026 Area Reps Meeting
The UWSA Area Representatives Council is a space to exchange information about current issues facing staff at UW and to keep an open line of communication between the UWSA leadership and staff members across the University. Most meetings are open to Area Reps, with one meeting each term open to all staff.
The March meeting topic is still to be confirmed.
April 2026 Area Reps Meeting
The UWSA Area Representatives Council is a space to exchange information about current issues facing staff at UW and to keep an open line of communication between the UWSA leadership and staff members across the University. Most meetings are open to Area Reps, with one meeting each term open to all staff.
The April meeting topic is still to be confirmed.
May 2026 Area Reps Meeting
The UWSA Area Representatives Council is a space to exchange information about current issues facing staff at UW and to keep an open line of communication between the UWSA leadership and staff members across the University. Most meetings are open to Area Reps, with one meeting each term open to all staff.
The May meeting topic is still to be confirmed.
June 2026 Area Reps Meeting
The UWSA Area Representatives Council is a space to exchange information about current issues facing staff at UW and to keep an open line of communication between the UWSA leadership and staff members across the University. Most meetings are open to Area Reps, with one meeting each term open to all staff.
The June meeting topic is still to be confirmed.
Blog
Introducing the Staff Spotlight: Get to know the people powering UW
In this new blog series, we’ll be celebrating the work of staff members from across campus, especially but not only those in roles dedicated to supporting other staff.
With elections of staff to the Board of Governors open now, we’re kicking off this series with Nancy Heide, a current staff governor, to help you learn more about the role of the Board of Governors and the staff representatives on the Board.
Our takeaways from the University’s January 2026 budget forum
Last week, Waterloo leaders spoke to employees about the University’s budget situation and what to expect in the coming year. As your representative, it’s our responsibility to ensure staff receive clear and timely information, and to advocate for transparency and compassion. We are focused not just on what decisions are made, but how they are made and experienced by staff, especially with the understandable anxiety around job security and organizational change given the scale of the financial challenges the University is facing.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a summary of what we learned at the forum and what it means for staff.
Board Report: Fall 2025
Here's what your UWSA Board got up to in the fall term.