April 11 , 2017  

Calendar highlights for April 10 to 14:

Please note the GSU offices will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.
  • 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, they can call GSU toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 or send an email to gsu.regina@sasktel.net
  • staff rep Dale Markling is on the road making station visits on Tuesday and Wednesday 
  • staff rep Steve Torgerson will attend the First Nations University of Canada scholarship luncheon on Wednesday for presentation GSU's 2017 bursary to recipient Samantha Skrudland
  • Hugh Wagner will attend a meeting of union leaders at the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour office on Wednesday.
Upcoming events:

SFL Young Workers' Conference & Youth Action Summit
April 28 & 29, 2017 ~ Ramada Hotel, Regina, SK
Learn more about the conference and summit  here .

Prairie School for Union Women
June 11 - 15, 2017
Waskesiu Lake, SK
Learn more about the school and registration here. 

SFL Summer Camp
August 27 - September 1, 2017
Camp Easter Seal ~ Manitou Lake 
Register early! This popular camp fills up quickly!
Learn about the camp and how your camper could win free registration here.  

Contact your GSU staff rep for more information about these events, GSU's expense policy, or to register. 

GSU's calendar of events is regularly updated and available on GSU's web page - www.gsu.ca.  
 

I am pleased to release the 2016/2017 Annual Report of GSU's Joint Executive Council (board of directors) which was adopted by the Council at its 2017 annual meeting held in Regina on March 31. The annual report includes GSU's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2016.

The 2016/2017 Annual Report is posted on our GSU web site. Members wanting to receive a hard copy of the annual report can arrange for same by email to gsu.regina@sasktel.net or by calling toll-free to 1.866.522.6686.

Questions regarding the annual report or financial statements can be directed to me at gsu.wagner@sasktel.net or by phoning the toll-free number above.

I encourage thorough review of the annual report and financial statements. Your questions are welcome.

Sincerely,
 
Hugh Wagner
General Secretary


Last chance to register! 

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) Young Workers' Conference is an opportunity for young trade unionists from across the province to come together to learn about issues affecting workers, develop new skills, and strategize about how to make our unions and labour movement even stronger. 

The conference will run April 28 and 29 in Regina and feature an impressive list of issue sessions, skills workshops, and guest speakers. Contact your GSU staff rep for more information or to register.



GSU staff reps are monitoring a potentially worrying trend regarding health and safety issues and an employer who seems to have chosen a disciplinary path to compliance with safety rules. 
 
"You can't have a rigid policy for every conceivable task being performed," said GSU staff rep Lawrence Maier. "The pressure to increase production and constantly assigning duties that are beyond an employee's job description and training makes the workplace more dangerous. Punishing workers for an accident only does one thing: it makes them reluctant to report accidents for fear of reprisal."
 
Always make sure you are trained to do the task at hand. 

Never let pressure to get the job done lead to cutting corners. Bring up safety concerns at your safety meetings, and if they aren't addressed, report it. You have the right to refuse to do work that you think may be imminently dangerous to your health and safety. Don't let pressure to "get the job done" lead to an injury that could change your life.
  

No question or problem is too small to discuss with a GSU staff rep.

The role of a staff rep is to help union members and we are here to assist you in any way we can. D on't hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep when you need clarification, interpretation, or assistance.

Staff reps can be reached toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 (Regina) or 1.855.384.7314 (Saskatoon). Additional contact information is available here.


GSU is pleased to offer $2,000 scholarships to five students who demonstrate an ability and a passion to inspire positive change in their community. 

Scholarships are available to GSU members and their immediate families - including spouses - who are enrolled in a diploma, degree, or certificate program at a community college, university, trade school, or technical institute as a full-time student in any country. 

Deadline for receipt of applications is June 1, 2017.

Detailed information is available on GSU's web page:  www.gsu.ca.



 
Is your desk organized or messy? There are advantages to both 

How would you describe your desk? Neat and tidy, organized chaos, or something in-between?

What you do at your desk contributes to its overall appearance. If your work involves stacks of paper and filing it will be much more challenging for you to maintain order than it will be for someone who works strictly on their laptop and files everything digitally.

Whether your desk is in order or in a state of disarray, there are positives to each work system. Studies show that messy desks can inspire creativity while tidy workers may make more generous and healthy decisions. 


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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