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March Bulletin

5 March, 2025 |

Table of Contents

  1. Member Advisory: APUO Emails
  2. Clarification: benefits under the 2024-2026 Collective Agreement
  3. APUO Seeks part-time Liaison/Grievance Officers
  4. Update: APUO Social Media
  5. New Retirement Incentives

1) Member Advisory: APUO Emails

The APUO has learned that, since the beginning of the 2025 Winter Term, many members are seeing union emails land in their Spam/Junk folders. This has included APUO bulletins as well as some individual communications between Members and APUO staff.

Union communications include important information about your workplace. To guarantee that you receive APUO communications, we strongly recommend adding apuo@apuo.ca as a contact.

If you are regularly in touch with APUO staff members, we also recommend adding their individual email as a contact as well.

2) Clarification: benefits under the 2024-2026 Collective Agreement

Since the agreement in principle has been ratified by both the APUO membership and the Employer, we have received many questions about the new benefits afforded in the 2024-2026 Collective Agreement (CA). It is important to clarify that these new benefits take effect May 1st, 2025, and are not retroactive.

Please do not hesitate to communicate with the APUO for any other questions relating to the new CA.

3) APUO Seeks part-time Liaison/Grievance Officers

The APUO is looking for two Members to work as part-time Liaison/Grievance officers. The Members will work with the APUO Grievance Team which consists of the APUO President, the Administrative Director, the professional Grievance Officer, the Legal Counsel, and the Paralegal.

In collaboration with the APUO Grievance team, the primary duties and responsibilities of Liaison/Grievance Officers are to: 

  • provide specialized advice to Members concerning the merits of grievances, complaints and inquiries
  • prepare and accompany members in filing grievances/complaints and in meetings with Employer representatives with a view to settling complaints and grievances to members’ satisfaction
  • prepare and accompany members to present grievances and complaints before quasi-judicial tribunals or forums
  • assist Legal Counsel in preparing witnesses and conduct examination in chief and cross of witnesses

Liaison/Grievance Officers require excellent listening, organizing, and interpersonal skills, including adaptability, sound judgment, and the ability to work well in a team. 

In exchange for their time, Members will receive either a 50% full workload release or two 3-credit course release per academic year (to be determined). 

To apply, please send an email detailing your motivations and qualifications (max. 500 words) for the position to Michel Desjardins at michel@apuo.ca before 4pm, Monday, March 10, 2025.

4) Update: APUO Social Media

The APUO has reviewed and updated our social media presence and will now be concentrating our efforts on platforms that better serve our mission.

Follow us on any of the following platforms:

As of March 1st, the APUO Twitter account is no longer active.

5) New Retirement Incentives

The agreement negotiated by APUO with the Employer, and ratified by members on February 14, includes a letter of understanding with new retirement incentives. Members wishing to use this option must sign their contracts no later than April 30, 2026, with a retirement date starting no later than July 1, 2026.

We are receiving many questions from members seeking to understand the details, benefits and limitations of this program in light of their various personal situations. We encourage any member wishing to know more about this letter of understanding to write to Michel Desjardins at michel@apuo.ca. Michel will be able to advise you on the various paths to retirement available to you.