MaPS Exclusion Review

The university and AUPE agreed on a process in the 2018 round of negotiations to review certain MaPS positions. However, changes to the legislation and the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the project being put on hold. In this most recent round of negotiations, the parties agreed to Letter of Understanding #9 which effectively recommences the review process.  Given the time that has passed, much of the previous work will need to be re-done.

Effective July 1, 2022, non-academic positions at Alberta post-secondary institutions are subject to the exclusion criteria set out in section 1(1)(l) of the Alberta Labour Relations Code.

Generally, those who perform managerial functions, are employed as a medical, dental, architectural, engineering or legal profession, those employed in a confidential capacity relating to labour relations, and those employed in farming or ranching operations are legally excluded from the bargaining unit.

We are moving into the implementation stage of this process, which will take several months to complete.  No changes to encumbered positions will occur until January 1, 2024 when positions designated as AUPE will be transitioned into the bargaining unit. 

As per the LOU #9 of the AUPE Collective Agreement, the scope of the review is limited to the following MaPS classification:

• Operational and Administrative Support
• Technical Professional
• Professional
• Research
• Management Level 1 (M1)

Positions classified as M2, M3 or M4 are not part of this review.

The review was a joint process involving Human Resources and Employee and Labour Relations representatives from the university and representatives from AUPE.

University representatives conducted an initial review and disclosed initial lists of positions appropriate for inclusion in the bargaining unit and positions appropriate for continued exclusion to AUPE, based on the criteria set out in the Labour Relations Code.  The parties spent considerable time reviewing and discussing the list of positions appropriate for continued exclusion.

The university is committed to transparency and providing timely communications to all MaPS employees on the process and expected timelines.

Those employees who occupy MaPS positions that are initially identified as not meeting the legislated exclusionary criteria were notified the week of November 14, 2022.  

Following conclusion of the joint review, if your position was determined to not have any exclusionary criteria, you will be notified the week of June 19, 2023.

The university will be moving into a mapping and calibration exercise which includes reviewing existing job profiles and are following up with leaders where necessary.  If you have any feedback regarding your position, please discuss with your manager.  Individual employees may also be engaged where additional information is required for job evaluation.  Throughout the process, the university is committed to providing timely updates and communications to all impacted MaPS employees.

A communication was sent to all MaPS employees on June 8 notifying them of the conclusion of the joint review process.  Employees that will be transitioning into the AUPE bargaining unit will receive an email the week of June 19 outlining next steps.    

Employees whose position is transitioning into the AUPE bargaining unit will be mapped to an appropriate job family and/or phase in the AUPE collective agreement. If an appropriate job family and phase does not exist, the Employee will be maintained within their current pay range until a new classification and pay grade has been negotiated.  Any MaPS employee whose salary exceeds the maximum of their new job family and phase in the AUPE collective agreement will be “Green-circled”, which means that their salary will be maintained, and they will continue to be eligible for any negotiated salary increases.

Those employees will fall under the full terms of the collective agreement.

During the review, employees who believe their position has been improperly identified for inclusion in the bargaining unit may request an explanation from HR (Human Resources) along with any additional relevant information to support continued exclusion.   Keep in mind that only those employees performing managerial functions, acting in their capacity as an exempted regulated professional (engineer, architect, physician, dentist, lawyer), employed in a confidential capacity in matters relating to labour relations, or employed on a farming or ranching operation will meet the legislated exclusion criteria.  Any determination made is based on the university complying with its legal obligations under the Labour Relations Code.

Due to the necessary legal compliance, it is important to know that the final determinations of the positions through the joint consultation process are binding.

Employees occupying positions that will be transitioned into AUPE on January 1, 2024 who intend to retire on  or before December 31, 2024, must submit to Human Resources a written declaration of their intention to do so by no later than November 15, 2023.  These employees and positions will remain outside of the scope of the bargaining unit until the employee either resigns, retires, is transferred to another position, is terminated, or is replaced.

Employees occupying positions that will be transitioned into AUPE on January 1, 2024 who are on approved leaves of absence (Sick Leave, Long-Term Disability, Workers Compensation, Compassionate Care Leave, Critical Illness Leave, Death or Disappearance of a Child Leave, Domestic Violence Leave, Jury Duty, Maternity Leave, Parental Leave, Adoption Leave, Unpaid Leave) will remain outside of the scope of the bargaining unit until the employee returns to work, resigns, retires, is transferred to another position, is terminated, or is replaced because of a leave of absence.  Any individual subsequently hired into the position will be included in the bargaining unit and subject to the Collective Agreement.

Employees occupying positions with a term end date prior to the transition date of January 1, 2024 and whose position is renewed or extended will be included in the bargaining unit and subject to the Collective Agreement upon having their position renewed or extended.  Any individual subsequently hired into the position will be included in the bargaining unit and subject to the Collective Agreement.

All employees placed into the bargaining unit with vacation entitlement that exceeds that to which they would be entitled to under the Collective Agreement will maintain their current vacation entitlement until it is equal to the applicable entitlement under the Collective Agreement or until they voluntarily move to a different job (e.g., transfer, promotion).

The following information was shared at the MaPS Exclusion Information Sessions. 

Group Benefits

If you have additional questions, please contact totalrewards@ucalgary.ca

The following information was shared at the MaPS Exclusion Information Sessions. 

Retirement Programs

If you have additional questions, please contact totalrewards@ucalgary.ca

Deductions are managed through PeopleSoft. Please review the following to chart to determine when benefit deductions for affected employees will be applied:

Deductions

If you have any questions, please contact totalrewards@ucalgary.ca.

The effective date for those employees placed into the bargaining unit will be the date they were hired with the university.

If you meet eligibility criteria and have successfully met your objectives for the year, you may be entitled to an increase in 2023.  

Visit the 2023 MaPS Salary Program for further information.

All active MaPS on the date increases are paid will be eligible for the salary range increase.  

Visit the 2023 MaPS Salary Program for further information.

As you will transition to AUPE on January 1, 2024, you will be entitled to a prorated salary increment if you have successfully met performance objectives.

You will not be entitled to the gain sharing formula (GSF) under Article 54 of the collective agreement as you need to be an active AUPE member on September 1^st 2023.

You would however have already received an individual salary range increase as an active MaPS employee in September 2023.

The FAQs will be updated periodically so please check back to the website throughout this process.  You may also contact your leader if you have questions.