News

We are very pleased to announce that we have reached the finish line and are now working under an updated Memorandum of Agreement (PDF) following the approval of this agreement between UWSA and UWaterloo by the Board of Governors on October 25, 2022.

This journey began in 2016 and has included efforts of many dedicated members and a series of Consultations.

Yessenia Guerrero has been acclaimed to the President-elect position.

Michael R. Clark was one of eight members to be awarded a Staff Enhancement Grant this past December. He used the funds to pursue a personal goal of bringing Indigenous programming to the Grand River Film Festival this Spring, and kindly let us share his report. 

Did you know our compassionate care and bereavement leaves have been improved effective May 1, 2022? Your UWSA helped secure these enhanced benefits as part of the current staff compensation agreement through its work on the Provost’s Advisory Committee on Staff Compensation (PACSC).

Natalie Chow was awarded a Staff Enhancement Grant and shared this report:

As the official voice of University support staff, the UWSA has surveyed its members annually throughout the pandemic. These survey results are used to identify top areas of staff concern so we can direct our support where it is most needed. They also allow us to knowledgably present staff concerns to senior administrators of the University of Waterloo.  

The UWSA exists to represent staff interests, so when you respond to our surveys, you’re making sure your voice is included in decisions impacting staff; thank you. 

It is with great sadness that I let you know that Michael Herz has resigned from the UWSA Board and his committee engagements as of January 31, 2022 citing personal matters. Mike has been a constant presence in our Association for a decade and his roles included: President Elect, President, Past President, Board member and Secretary, member of the Staff Relations Committee, the Provost’s Advisory Committee on Staff Compensation, UW Pension and Benefits Committee, the Policy 33 Review and Development Committee, UWSA Member Advisory Committee to mention but a few.

Provost announces changes to staff performance appraisals for this year

- File from Daily Bulletin, January 4, 2022

"In light of recent concerns about the Omicron variant and the temporary return to remote working routines where possible in January 2022, we are introducing streamlining and flexibility in the performance appraisal process for this year," Vice-President, Academic & Provost James Rush wrote in a memo to staff and their managers just before the holiday break.

Following the membership’s acceptance of the new UWSA by-law and the subsequent changes to the UWSA governance, which moved the three UWSA Presidents (President-elect Agata Jagielska, President Dave McDougall, Past President Kathy Becker) into Operations roles, the UWSA Board of Directors found itself with three vacancies in its complement. The vacancies posed a significant challenge to normal Board activities and so, the Board appointed three UWSA members to fill the vacancies until the next election cycle in the fall of 2022.

33rd annual Winterfest

UWSA welcomed over 250 staff and their families at Columbia Icefield to this annual event. It was a marked increase in attendance over 2020's Winterfest, which had to be held in the CIF parking lot as a drive-by event. We did need to continue following COVID safety protocols this year, but being back inside CIF for skating, crafts and Santa was fabulous.