February 13, 2018  

A nything can happen, but here is what we have scheduled for the week:
  • on Monday general secretary Hugh Wagner responded to an employer's reply on a grievance, met with an employer representative, and discussed an executive grievance with an employer
  • staff rep Dale Markling met with an employer on Tuesday
  • Hugh Wagner sat on an arbitration board in Regina on Tuesday
  • the Tuesday Members' Memo is emailed to GSU members weekly on Tuesday. If you know a co-worker who doesn't receive the TMM and would like to, have them call GSU toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 or send an email to [email protected] 
  • Hugh Wagner will meet with a member on Friday 
  • staff reps Lawrence Maier and Donna Driediger will meet with GSU's legal counsel on Friday to discuss a GSU member's case
  • planning is underway for GSU's upcoming biennial policy convention March 22 to 24 in Humboldt, SK. If you are interested in attending, contact your GSU staff representative
GSU's calendar of events is regularly updated and available on GSU's web page -  gsu.ca.    

 

Viterra Management has been pushing hard to get employees to use up their banked overtime. The collective agreement is clear that time off for banked overtime is only taken off by mutual agreement. That means you cannot be sent home to use up your banked time unless you agree. 

Employees are also being told they cannot be paid out for their overtime. Again, the collective agreement is clear that anyone can request payment of their overtime and it must be paid. Staff rep Lawrence Maier is working on behalf of employees who have been denied their payout. Viterra Human Resources has been contacted and we are waiting for word that the requested payments have been made.
 
The overtime you have banked is yours. It is your right, under the collective agreement to be paid for your work, and/or to take time off in lieu (at overtime rates) at a time when both the worker and management agree. Don't let yourself be bullied into taking time you can't use. Don't accept non-payment of your overtime. You work overtime when the management demands it. You have the right to determine how you are compensated for that overtime.  

Call the GSU if you have any questions. All contacts are strictly confidential, and no request is made to management without your agreement.

GSU will help you sort things out.

GSU staff reps will help find answers to your questions, but we won't act on your behalf without your direction and approval. These services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

Contact information for GSU staff is available here .


GSU members are getting together to review union finances, operations, and to chart the course for the union for the next two years. 

Attending the convention doesn't mean you have to become the GSU president or a Defense Fund director, but it does mean you can vote for the people you think would do a great job. 

You won't be coming up to the front of the room to make a speech, but if you see an opportunity for improvement in the way we are doing things, you can let us know. 

You won't have to lead the discussion, but if you have insight or experience on a topic that affects you and your co-workers, your comments would be valuable and welcomed. 

We need people just like you to attend convention and represent the hard-working people of GSU.

The policy convention is the co-ordinating and governing representative body of GSU and its decisions are made by majority vote.  Resolutions, policy statements, and reports adopted by the policy convention become the policy of GSU.

Wages and expenses of GSU members in attendance will be covered by GSU.

If you are interested in learning more or attending convention,  contact your GSU staff representative .


You don't need to have an opinion on everything

Social media has made it possible to comment on everything and anything at any time of the day or night.  But is it really necessary, prudent, or advisable to publicly state what you are thinking on every single topic?

Learn more here:  You don't have to have an opinion on everything .

This article has been printed for entertainment purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of GSU, its members, officers, or staff.


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