In 1964 the University of Guelph was established by an Act of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario. Prior to that time, the employees were considered to be civil servants of the Province of Ontario and were represented by the Civil Service Association of Ontario (CSAO). This group continued to represent all the clerical, technical, trades, maintenance and housekeeping employees on campus until 1973.

While bargaining for wages and working conditions in 1969, the CSAO went out on a legal strike. The strike was settled several weeks later but many employees felt it would be in their best interest to form a new trade union. In order to do this, the CSAO had to be decertified by the Ontario Labour Relations Board. In April of 1973, 440 of the 729 members of the CSAO indicated by letter that they wished to decertify the union. On August 28, 1973, a vote was held in which 322 out of 361 cast their ballots in favour of decertification, which satisfied the Labour Relations Board.

Many employees still felt it was an advantage to be represented by a trade union and on November 5, 1973, they adopted the Constitution of the University of Guelph Staff Association. The Association would represent only clerical, secretarial, and technical staff, (including agricultural workers); the maintenance trades and housekeeping employees were now represented by a separate union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 1334.

After a membership drive, on April 2, 1974, the first Executive was elected and it was decided by the membership to apply for certification as a trade union to the Ontario Labour Relations Board. Forty-five percent of those eligible for membership paid an initiation fee of $1.00 and signed a form indicating membership in the Association. On May 13, 1974, the Association applied to the Labour Relations Board for certification. On June 189, 1974, a certification vote, supervised by the Labour Relations Board, was taken on campus and of the 409 votes cast, there were 354 in favour, 54 opposed and 1 spoiled. As a result, the Association was recognized as the official bargaining agent for the clerical, secretarial, and technical employees and agriculture workers.

The first Collective Agreement with the University was signed in 1974.