Collective agreements

Your collective agreement sets out your rights and responsibilities in the workplace.  If you have any questions or concerns about your treatment at work, please talk to your shop steward or contact the office.

 2016 to 2020 CUPE Agreement Below 

Bylaws

Our bylaws set out the rules for how our local democratically elects our representatives, and how it is run.

Benefits

CUPE 1975 members who are permanent, seasonal, or limited term support staff are eligible for benefits.

If you have any questions or concerns about your benefits eligibility, please contact the office at 966-7015.

Pensions

 

Our pension is the University of Saskatchewan non-academic pension plan.

On September 24, 2015 the University of Saskatchewan chose to file a grievance against CUPE Local 1975 to challenge our right to have a say on the future of our pension plan.

The Employer’s grievance essentially seeks a third party arbitrator to determine if the University can make unilateral changes to the pension plan.  In the past, pension changes have been negotiated, as is required by our collective agreement.  The Union will respond to the Employer’s grievance to advocate that any changes to the pension plan will continue to be negotiated at the bargaining table.

The Union’s own outstanding pension grievance has also now been referred to arbitration.  The Local’s grievance was filed in May of 2013 and had been held in abeyance while pension discussions were ongoing.  It asserts a history of improper employer “contribution holidays” (where pension plan surplus was used to reduce the amount the University paid into the plan).

To be clear, the Union’s position is that any changes to the pension plan must be negotiated at the bargaining table.  We strongly disagree with both the spirit and substance of the University’s grievance. In our view, this is a time-consuming and wasteful proceeding that can only damage labour relations on campus.  As we’ve told the University many times: we remain open to discussing the pension plan in the proper forum: the collective bargaining table.

Bursaries and Scholarships

CUPE 1975 provides two bursaries and scholarships for members and their children: the Norm Quan Bursary and the Glen Makahonuk Scholarship.  For more information, contact the office at 306-966-7015.

2021 Application forms now available

Application form:  Glen Makahonuk Scholarship Application 2021

Application form: Norm-Quan-Application-2021

Norm Quan Memorial Bursary

Applicants must be registered full-time in a recognized Canadian post-secondary educational institution and be a member in good standing for at least two years in CUPE 1975 (University of Saskatchewan),  OR  have a parent, legal guardian or spouse with at least two years continuous membership in CUPE 1975.  Applicants or sponsors must have attended at least three membership meetings in the past 12 months.

Four  $1,000.00 Bursaries will be available.

2020 Recipients: Christine Wilson, Reece Forster and Mason Beaulieu

2019 Recipients: Ashellin Van De Voord, Louisa Tomasiewicz, Reece Forster, Nicole Rapin

2018 Recipients:  Louisa Tomasiewicz, Melissa Jones, Nicole Rapin, Reese Forster

2017 Recipients:  (new non essay format introduced 2018)
Sara Drimmie, Melissa Jones, Brittany Sopatyk, Alex Wojcichowsky

2016 Recipients:

 

Glen Makahonuk Memorial – CUPE 1975 Training & Development Fund

This bursary is made possible by a trust fund established by President George Ivany and The University of Saskatchewan in memory of Glen Makahonuk (1951-1997) to recognize his nearly 20 years of leadership to members of CUPE 1975.

Glen was a long-time Union activist who served the CUPE 1975 membership as President (11 years), and as chair or a member of numerous other local committees.  He worked tirelessly and in solidarity in the provincial, federal, and international arenas to make changes that would ensure rights to workers everywhere.

Glen’s intelligence, perseverance, and incredible commitment to education, history and unionism earned him the respect of his union colleagues as well as those he faced across the table.

This scholarship provides awards for training and professional development to members of CUPE 1975 in good standing who have demonstrated community volunteerism and/or union activism; with preference to candidates with union activism.  These awards are not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000) annually.

Promotional items

p1000156Promotional items are available at the Union Office:

  • Men’s quick dry t-shirts (black/navy): $24
  • Rosie Mugs $14
  • Save our pension toques and mittens are given out gratis
  • Save our pension water bottles given out gratis