May 9 , 2017  

Calendar highlights for May 8 to 12:
  • 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 gsu.regina@sasktel.net
  • general secretary Hugh Wagner spent Tuesday preparing for an upcoming arbitration
  • staff rep Steve Torgerson was on the road for member visitations on Tuesday
  • Hugh Wagner will be meeting with a GSU member on Thursday. 
Upcoming events:

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.  



A member became sick while on vacation and contacted the union to ask if the collective agreement had any provision for changing vacation leave to sick leave . 

GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson advised that once you are on vacation it can't be changed to sick leave, but there could be a bit of a grey area in some instances before vacation begins - such as an emergency surgery.   

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

Contact your GSU staff rep. Their services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.


Less than month until the application deadline!


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.

 
Did you know you can view your collective agreement online at www.gsu.ca?

What is a collective agreement?

Your collective agreement is a contract that describes the terms and conditions of employment for employees in your workplace, including the rights of employees and the obligations of the employer. 

Every GSU member has a collective agreement. A copy of your collective agreement is available under the collective agreements tab on GSU's web page at  www.gsu.ca .

 
Answers to many employment-related questions can be found in your collective agreement

Salary and benefits are among the most obvious and important matters described in your collective agreement.
 
Collective agreements usually include clauses on working conditions such as hours of work and overtime, leave of absence provisions, vacations, general holidays, seniority, transfers, resignation, termination, protection against arbitrary disciplinary action, access to your personnel file, and much more.


Don't be shy! Contact your GSU staff rep with any questions you have about your collective agreement or problems in the workplace
 
Don't hesitate to contact an elected officer or your GSU staff rep if you need assistance with a workplace problem or if you would like help interpreting your collective agreement. 

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.


It's time for a social media spring cleaning

Like it or not, your social media platforms are telling everyone they reach a story about you.  In an age where employers are more interested in reviewing your social media presence than your resume, it's important to ensure your social accounts are painting a positive picture. 

According to CareerBuilder, the top  pieces of social media content that turn off employers are:
  • provocative or inappropriate photographs, videos or information, 
  • information about drinking or using drugs, 
  • discriminatory comments related to race, religion, gender, etc., 
  • those who bad-mouth previous employers or co-workers, and
  • a lack of good communication skills.
What will new acquaintances and potential employers surmise about you when they peruse your pages?

If you think it might be time for a social media overhaul, learn more here :  10 Easy Ways to Clean Up And Curate Your Social Media .

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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