April 18 , 2017  

Calendar highlights for April 17 to 21:
  • 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 reps Dale Markling and Steve Torgerson are out of the office attending a labour negotiations workshop this week
  • Hugh Wagner met with a GSU member and a company representative on Tuesday
  • Hugh Wagner will be in Saskatoon for meetings on Thursday.
     
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.  



GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson answered questions and offered advice to a GSU member on maternity leave. Steve explained the provisions of her collective agreement, including options for extending a leave from work. 

Do you have a question about your workplace or a workplace issue?

Don't hesitate to contact your staff rep with your questions and concerns. 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 vice-president Michelle Houlden recently attended the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour/Canadian Labour Congress Spring School. This is her report.


"Many thanks to GSU for sending me to this incredible course."


Greetings,
 
My mind is still spinning after spending a week studying labour law through the SFL/CLC spring school in Moose Jaw. It was a course I'd been wanting to take for a long time, and after going through another tough collective bargaining process, I seized the opportunity to learn more when I saw it in the list this year.
 
Effective representation happens on so many levels, whether you're a new shop steward who can refer members to the right part of their contract, an executive who can attend a grievance or disciplinary hearing or on the bargaining team. At each level, we do the best job we can with the tools we have, but learning more about the laws that set out our rights and responsibilities can really help to sharpen those tools.
 
I learned a lot about the duty to accommodate workers when they're dealing with mental or physical illnesses or addictions. How laws have been adapted through test cases like the SFL's challenge to Bill 6 that eventually saw the Supreme Court decide that the right to strike is protected by Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. How the duty of fair representation must be met. And how changes to the trade union act - now the Saskatchewan Employment Act - have impacted organized labour and working people.
 
Many thanks to GSU for sending me to this incredible course. I think it makes me a better shop steward and union member. It makes me appreciate all the hard work GSU does to defend our rights in the workplace and I was proud to represent you in class this week. A big shout out to fellow GSU member Larry Hubich, one of the course facilitators, and our own lawyers, Ronni Nordal and Dan Leblanc, who were co-facilitators along with Crystal Norbeck. It's a lot of material and a short time to talk about it all, and you made it fun and fascinating. Your passion for helping working people was contagious and I think we all left wanting to do more in our workplace and in our communities.
 
Spring school is an invaluable learning opportunity, one of many educational opportunities offered through GSU, the SFL and the CLC. If you haven't checked out what's available, I urge you to do so, there's bound to be something that you'd like to learn more about.
 
That reminds me, if there are any young GSU workers interested in attending an upcoming young workers' conference offered by the SFL, there's still time to register! And don't forget about the Prairie School for Union Women in Waskesiu, or the SFL youth camp at Watrous at the end of August for teens aged 13-17. Go to www.sfl.sk.ca/events for more information.
 
In solidarity,
Michelle Houlden
GSU Local 5 / GSU Vice-President


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.



How clearly can you convey your message in emails, texts and tweets?

Face-to-face communication allows you to consider body language, tone, and engagement, while e mail and social media provide countless opportunities to misunderstand and be misunderstood. 
  • Is the reply "k" a succinct summary that all is well or a curt response from someone who is upset?
  • When a colleague replies "you're really funny" are they marveling at your wit or being sarcastic?
In an experiment where  participants emailed 10 statements to a recipient, the recipients were only able to identify whether the statements were serious or sarcastic 56% of the time. When you consider some of your recent emails and comments you have posted on your social media, that statistic may be a little alarming. 


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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