USW Locals 2010 & 2010-01

We are the employees at Queen’s University, formerly called “general support staff”, who work with students, faculty, other staff and administrators in support of the academic, research and community service missions of Queen’s University. Our 1,400 plus members are secretaries, clerks, administrators, academic assistants, office managers, receptionists, counsellors, nurses, engineers, coaches and many other support staff employees who perform a diverse set of jobs critical to the operation, success and achievements of Queen’s University.

Locals 2010 & 2010-01 are the culmination of years of tireless work by staff reacting to the changing attitudes and actions of University Administrators towards support staff.

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In 2008, our then non-union Queen’s University Staff Association (QUSA) invited several unions, active in the university sector in Ontario to make presentations to staff about the prospects of unionization.

A small group of staff undertook a leadership role at these presentations about their unions to staff. Members of this group attended all of these presentations and posted information about each presentation to all staff for information and comment. Finally, with the feedback from staff and their evaluations of the “fit” of each of the organizations to the staff needs, the United Steelworkers were invited to spearhead a unionization drive on campus.

The campaign lasted almost 3 years, and in the spring of 2010 a secret ballot of all Queen’s staff on the unionization question was held. After the vote a significant number of the ballots cast were sequestered pending legal arguments and agreements on whether certain staff members were eligible to vote. It was at this point that general staff employed on research contracts were excluded from the proposed bargaining unit and their votes were subsequently excluded from the count.

Finally, on December 12, 2010 the votes were counted and the newest USW Local was formed and staff were represented by a legally certified bargaining agent. The vote for Academic Assistants in the 2010-01 unit was successfully held and counted in April 2011.

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United Steelworkers Locals 2010 and 2010-01 formally represent two employee groups, the administrative support staff and the academic assistants respectively, with separate collective agreements for each group.

Members of USW 2010 & 2010-01 joined the majority of Queen’s employees who are protected by collective agreements and represented by certified bargaining units including CUPE 229, CUPE 254, CUPE 1302, ONA, OPSEU, PSAC, and QUFA. The first Local 2010 collective agreement was signed on March 13, 2013 and covered the period from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2014 and the first Executive for the Local was installed on November 29, 2012.

As we continue to grow and expand our involvement in the issues and projects important to our members,as your representative in your workplace, we look to you, our Members, for continued support, participation and guidance. As our campaign slogan said, “Queen’s works because we do!” and we take this message to heart.

This is your Union and we all benefit from your commitment and action in support of your colleagues.

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