Welcome to our “UWSA 101” series, in which we explain how the UWSA works, your rights as a member, and how to participate in our upcoming elections!
Let’s start at the beginning:
Staff at Waterloo didn’t always have formal representation. In the fall of 1969, 12 years after the university was founded, enough concern and motivation had built up that 100 staff members turned out at the Glenbriar Curling Club to discuss forming an association to address issues arising at that time. They struck a steering committee, created a constitution, and, by 1973, incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. Finally, in 1975, when 50% of staff had become members, the university officially recognized the UWSA and committed to giving it a role in university decision-making structures.
This formal relationship with the university is what allows us to officially represent staff interests, and it is defined in our Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the university.
The MoA establishes our joint approach to managing issues and policies impacting staff, namely that the UWSA and UW work together through committees. This approach is based on a principle of continuous improvement of the staff working environment.
Who’s covered by the Memorandum of Agreement?
The MoA establishes the UWSA as the official representative of all staff in the salary classification “University Support Group” (USG), with a few high-level exceptions. This means that we work on behalf of all USG staff, though only members pay dues and have access to our services.
Here's what the Memorandum of Agreement does for members:
- It establishes a staff voice in things like salary and policies.
- It gives members the right to get support from the UWSA in discipline cases.
- It provides release time so the president and directors can do UWSA work.
- It protects the security and privacy of our information.
- It protects members’ right to participate in UWSA activities without interference.
The latest version
A long-anticipated update to the MoA in 2022 introduced two important elements:
- Automatic dues for employees we represent, which is standard under Canadian law for associations like ours. (This is based on something called the Rand formula, which basically says “everyone who benefits should contribute.” Staff hired before October 2022 are exempt from automatic dues and retain the right to opt in or out of the Association.)
- The ability for the UWSA to bring forward grievances on behalf of staff or groups of staff. Previously, staff could only do this themselves (and you still can).
These changes have ensured a stable foundation for expanded UWSA member services and supports for years to come.
What's not in the MoA
The MoA is solely about the relationship between UWSA and UW, and staff rights relating to participation in the association. Staff working conditions are covered in university policies, not the MoA.
Up next
Next week, we’ll take a look at our by-law, which sets out the rules for how the UWSA itself operates, including the board of directors, elections, member meetings, and more.
