[April 30, 2013]
Dear members of AMUSE,
The following are updates for this week:
- May Day (International Workers Day) – Events, Panels, Rallies
- Collective Agreement Spotlight – HOLIDAY AND VACATION PAY
1. May Day (International Workers Day) – Events, Panels, Rallies
May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day or ‘the real labour day’ was originally held on May 1st in commemoration of the 1886 Haymarket massacre in Chicago. Ever since, May Day has been a point around which workers unite and rally for fair working conditions for all. Here is a little information about events being held at McGill and in Montreal for May Day!
a) AMUSE presents: “Hope & Outrage: a May Day panel discussion!”
When: Tuesday, April 30th, 5-7pm
Where: Madelaine Parent Room, Shatner Building (SSMU)
What: Join AMUSE for a panel discussion about International Workers’ Day – is history, its significance, and its relevance to today. How did May Day start? What has been accomplished since the fight for the 8-hour day? What are workers fighting for now? Speaking at the event will be 2 Professors here at McGill, Aziz Choudry and Adrienne Hurley, and joining us from the Immigrant Workers Center, Mostafa Henaway. After the event, AMUSE invites all to for pints, chats, and pizza slices at Gert’s bar.
b) Solidarity Rally w/ MUNACA, AGSEM, and AMUSE
When: Wednesday, May 1st, noon-1:30pm
Where: Community Square (outside James Administration Building)
What: Join MUNACA, AGSEM, and AMUSE for a student-worker solidarity rally on International Workers Day! Say no to austerity measures! No to cuts! Students and workers unite!
c) Anti-Capitalist May Day demonstration
When: Wednesday, May 1st, 6pm
Where: Place Jacques Cartier (in front of City Hall)
d) Rally with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC/AFPC)
When: Saturday, May 4th, time tba
Where: location TBA
2. Collective Agreement Spotlight – HOLIDAY AND VACATION PAY
Recently, we’ve been receiving many questions with respect to Vacation Pay, and compensation for Legal Holidays. It seems that many members are unclear about this aspect of their rights, so we’ve decided to include a little *CA spotlight* in this week’s newsletter about it! Hope it helps. If you have any further questions or concerns, or you are in fact not receiving your vacation or holiday compensation as specified, you can contact Agatha at labour.amuse@gmail.com – she will be sure to help get things sorted!
Let’s break this down into the categories of workers as outlined in our CA:
GROUP 1: long-term full –time employees (< 6 months)
GROUP 2: short-term full-time employees (> 6months)
GROUP 3: all other casual staff
If you fall into GROUP 3, you should be receiving a compensation of 4% for vacation and 2.4% for paid Legal Holidays – on each pay. If you’re unsure how to read your paystub, our Treasurer Justyn made this really handy video! It is really quite informative. You can give it a peak here.
If you fall into GROUPS 1 or 2, your vacation pay does not come to you in increments – it is being accumulated for you, and you can ask to receive it in a lump sum before taking your vacation.
If you work on a recognized Legal Holiday (holidays recognized as such can be found at http://www.workrights.ca/content.php?doc=18), you are entitled to an indemnity, which usually comes out to your average day’s pay. Essentially, you get paid double-time! The indemnity is calculated as 1/20 of the pay you’ve received in the 4 full weeks of pay, excluding overtime, preceding the holiday. You are also entitled to this indemnity if by chance you didn’t happen to be working that day, but were not absent from work either the day prior of the day following that holiday.
Hope this helps clear things up!
Attention GROUP 3 employees! Minimum wage is going up!
Make sure to keep posted! As of May 1st, 2013, the minimum wage in Quebec is going up to $10.15. As per our Collective Agreement, all members of AMUSE should always be making at least 10 cents above minimum wage. That’s right! So if you are currently making $10.10/hr, as of May 1st 2013, you will be making $10.25!
Make sure to check your pay stub to ensure these adjustments are made to your rate of pay. If they aren’t, speak to your manager or supervisor, or contact our Labour Relations Officer, Agatha, at labour.amuse@gmail.com.
[April 8, 2013]
Dear members of AMUSE,
The following are updates for this week:
- Coffee and Snacks with AMUSE this Monday
- First Time Hearing from AMUSE? Contact us!
1. Coffee and Snacks with AMUSE
Once again we will be hosting an all-afternoon AMUSE employee coffee break. You are invited to come and meet AMUSE representatives, share your working experiences on campus, and learn about the union and your rights as a casual employee on campus. We will have copies of the Collective Agreement and other information about your working conditions at McGill.
Monday, April 8, 2013, 12:00pm until 4:30pm
Students’ Society of McGill University (3600 rue McTavish),
second floor, Madeleine Parent room
2. First Time Hearing from AMUSE? Contact us!
Is this the first time you’ve received a newsletter from AMUSE?
For more information on the union, your rights in the workplace, or how to get involved please visit our website at amusemcgill.org or contact communications.amuse@gmail.com .
We are happy to respond to any questions or concerns!
The Association of McGill University Support Employees – Public Service Alliance of Canada
2015 Drummond Street, suite 901, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1W7
tel: 514-282-9555 , fax: 514-398-6892
For general questions and comments: communications.amuse@gmail.com
For questions about your rights or to file a grievance: labour.amuse@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook!
[March 17, 2013]
Any member can join a committee. Committees are a great opportunity to have a direct impact on the functioning of the union, as well as opportunities to learn! Meetings are open to all members, so you may attend a meeting to decide if you’re interested without committing to any other obligations. The following committees are currently active:
Equity Committee
The Equity Committee is laying the groundwork towards creating a more accessible and open union. Some of the projects are concrete (like creating educational materials or planning workshops) and some are more abstract (like working on an equity policy). Whether you’re interested in learning or already have some ideas, please attend! Contact pres.amuse@gmail.com for more information, read past meeting minutes, or to attend the next meeting.
Auditing Committee
This committee will review our spending for the last year as well as the planned budget for the coming year. The first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th at 4:30 pm at the office. Contact our Treasurer, Justyn Teed, if you are interested in participating at treasury.amuse@gmail.com.
Mobilization Committee
This committee works to engage members and work towards building a stronger union. Mobilization is important because it helps us find situations where the Collective Agreement is not being respected, educate members, and build community within AMUSE. This is done through events, workshops, and campaigns. Sound interesting? The next Mobilization Committee meeting will be Wednesday, March 27th at 5 pm. Email Joan Moses at vp.amuse@gmail.com for more information or if you would like to attend the meeting.
Bargaining Research Committee
This committee keeps track of common problems in workplaces throughout the time that we are not negotiating a Collective Agreement. We currently have our first Collective Agreement in place, however new issues come up every day. This committee keeps track of what works and what doesn’t and keeps the conversation around the agreement going. If you’re interested in getting involved contact Agatha Slupek at labour.amuse@gmail.com. The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, March 29th at 5:00 pm. If you have any general questions about AMUSE committees please contact Jaime MacLean at pres.amuse@gmail.com. Descriptions of committees, meeting minutes, and reports are posted to our website as they become available at amusemcgill.org/committees.
[Feb 27, 2013]
Hi Friendz!
There’s a lot going on with AMUSE these days, and a lot of opportunities to get involved! Here’s the recent news and upcoming happenings at your union:
- Committee Meetings
- Updates from the Board of Representatives
- Film Screening
- First Time Hearing From AMUSE?
1. Committee Meetings
AMUSE has a variety of committees that are open for any member to join! No experience is required, and it’s a great way to learn while getting involved. The work done by committees has a real impact on the way that the union runs and is an important part of AMUSE.
Current committees include: the Equity Committee, the Mobilization Committee, the Bargaining Research Committee, and the Auditing Committee. Each of these committees will be meeting over the next month. Please email pres.amuse@gmail.com if you are interested in getting involved or would like more information.
2. Updates from the Board of Representatives
The AMUSE Board of Representatives met last week to discuss regular items, as well as several endorsements. The Board discussed the provincial government’s budget cuts to universities, the ‘Solidarity City Declaration’, and support for the Divest McGill student campaign. Our statements on these and other issues can be found on our website under the “About AMUSE” tab on the page “Official Positions on Issues”.
3. Film Screening
The second event in our Winter Film Series will be held this Thursday, February 28th. Come by at 6pm to grab some refreshments, screening starts at 7 sharp. We will be filming the classic labour film, “Norma Rae” (1979, 110 min.) This Oscar-winning film tells the story of a young single mother and her struggle to unionize the textile mill she works at. All are welcome! We hope to see you there!
4. First Time Hearing from AMUSE? Contact us!
Is this the first time you’ve received a newsletter from AMUSE?
For more information on the union, your rights in the workplace, or how to get involved please visit our website at amusemcgill.org or contact communications.amuse@gmail.com .
We are happy to respond to any questions or concerns!
The Association of McGill University Support Employees – Public Service Alliance of Canada
2015 Drummond Street, suite 901, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1W7
tel: 514-282-9555 , fax: 514-398-6892
For general questions and comments: communications.amuse@gmail.com
For questions about your rights or to file a grievance: labour.amuse@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook!
[Feb 11, 2013]
Hi Friendz!
My name is Luke Walker and I am the new Communications Officer for AMUSE (isn’t it wild that our name is a double entendre?). Part of my responsibility is doing the newsletter that is sent out to you folks every now and then. Now that I get to write a “blurb” at the beginning of these letters, I would like to advertise that I am really into theme of friendship. On the topic of friendship, this Monday AMUSE will be hosting a Valentines Day themed samosa, coffee, and “friendship networking” event. Information about this event, along with the rad happenings in your union can be found below:
- Annual General Meeting Results
- Samosa Event (Valentines Themed!
- Callout for Outreach Workers
- Winter 2013 Office Hours
- First Time Hearing From AMUSE?
1. Annual General Meeting Results
Updates from the 4th Annual General Meeting
We held our 4th Annual General Meeting on Thursday, January 31st. At the AGM members voted for the new Executive Committee and Board of Representatives, voted on motions, and approved the Annual Report.
The 2012 Annual Report, as well as all past Annual Reports, can be found on our website at http://www.amusemcgill.org/internal-documents/annual-reports. If you would like a paper copy of the report please visit the office during our opening hours.
A motion was passed with amendments to form a committee with MUNACA to investigate the option of a merger. This committee will meet over the next several months to discuss how a new merged union would function and the steps towards building it and results will be brought to a General Meeting of the AMUSE membership within the next year. A second motion was passed to amend the AMUSE By-Laws. The updated By-Laws can be viewed on our website at http://www.amusemcgill.org/internal-documents/bylaws.
The new Executive Committee is:
Jaime MacLean as President (returning)
Joan Moses as Vice-President
Luke Walker as Communications and Secretariat Officer
Justyn Teed as Treasurer (returning)
Agatha Slupek as Labour Relations Officer.
Contact information for the Executive Committee can be found at the AMUSE website at http://www.amusemcgill.org/contact-us.
Nine Delegates were elected to the Board of Representatives out of a total of twelve. This means that there are still three spots available on the Board. If you are interested in becoming a Delegate please email Joan Moses at vp.amuse@gmail.com. We especially encourage members who work at the Macdonald Campus to get involved. The Board will meet during the third week of February, date and time are still to be announced. All members are welcome to attend Board meetings as observers, and any new Delegates may be appointed at the beginning of the meeting.
2. Coffee and Samosa Break This Monday!
Once again we will be hosting an all-afternoon AMUSE employee coffee and samosa break. You are invited to come and meet AMUSE representatives, share your working experiences on campus, and learn about the union and your rights as a casual employee on campus. We will have copies of the Collective Agreement and other information about your working conditions at McGill.
Monday, February 11, 2013, 12:00pm until 4:30pm
Students’ Society of McGill University (3600 rue McTavish),
second floor, Madeleine Parent room (formerly the Breakout Room) This room is wheelchair accessible.
These events are an opportunity for any AMUSE member to drop in to ask questions, meet union reps, find out how to get involved, or just for a snack.
Check out the Facebook event here !
3. AMUSE is hiring!
The Association of McGill University Support Employees is looking for three temporary outreach workers.
Each position requires 4 to 6 hours per week and the positions will be for the Winter 2013 semester, with a possibility to stay on with us for the year. The positions are paid, however a spirit of volunteerism is important to the work.
Outreach positions involve seeking out our members in the workplace to notify them of union events, to recruit activists, to enforce the Collective Agreement, to communicate potential grievances to the union, and to maintain a union presence in the workplace. Training and organization meetings will be included in the 4 to 6 hours of work per week.
The ideal candidate will be approachable, bilingual, and have a basic knowledge of the functioning of a labour union. AMUSE members will have priority, but these positions are open to all that apply.
To apply, please email a CV and brief statement of interest (no longer than a paragraph is needed) to vp.amuse@gmail.com by 5:00 pm on Friday, February 22nd. For more information on these positions or on AMUSE in general please email vp.amuse@gmail.com or visit www.amusemcgill.org .
4. Winter 2013 Office Hours
Our office hours have been updated for the winter term. We encourage you to come and meet the members of the new executive team, find out more about your union and consult us with any questions you may have concerning your rights in the workplace.
Our office is located at 2015 rue Drummond, suite #901. You can also reach us by telephone at 514-282-9555.
As always, members can contact any executive member to arrange a meeting outside of regular office hours. We regret that our office is not wheelchair accessible. Members with access needs wishing to meet with us can email us at communications.amuse@gmail.com in order to arrange an appointment at an alternate location.
Winter Semester Office hours as of Feb 11, 2013:
Monday: 11:00 – 13:00
Tuesday: 12:00 – 14:00 and 17:30 – 19:30
Wednesday: 16:00 – 18:00
Thursday: by appointment only
Friday: 12:00 – 14:00
5. First Time Hearing from AMUSE? Contact us!
Is this the first time you’ve received a newsletter from AMUSE?
For more information on the union, your rights in the workplace, or how to get involved please visit our website at amusemcgill.org or contact communications.amuse@gmail.com .
We are happy to respond to any questions or concerns!
The Association of McGill University Support Employees – Public Service Alliance of Canada
2015 Drummond Street, suite 901, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1W7
tel: 514-282-9555 , fax: 514-398-6892
For general questions and comments: communications.amuse@gmail.com
For questions about your rights or to file a grievance: labour.amuse@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook!
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Contact Us 2015 Rue Drummond #901
Montréal, QC
H3G 1W7
tel.: (514) 282-9555
communications.amuse@gmail.com
We regret that our office is not wheelchair accessible. Members with access needs wishing to meet with us can email us at communications.amuse@gmail.com in order to arrange an appointment at an alternate location.
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