May 19, 2020  
 
 If you have concerns or problems as you deal with your employer's responses to Covid-19, don't hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep.


Calendar highlights and upcoming events:

GSU 2020 scholarship program application extended deadline - Sept. 1

Learn more and download the application forms here.

Contact your GSU staff rep if you are interested in attending or learning more about an event.

*GSU members who sign up and are approved to participate in GSU-sanctioned events will have their time off work, wages, and expenses covered in accordance with GSU's expense policies (child care included). GSU staff will also assist you with arranging the time off with your employer.


Congratulations and welcome to Barb Healey, GSU's newest Defense Fund director

The departure of director Sharlene Tetrault to join GSU's Joint Executive Council this spring left a vacancy on the union's Defense Fund Board of Directors. This elected five-person board is responsible for overseeing the administration and investment of the fund assets (currently $4.5 million). The primary purpose of the fund is to provide income protection and assistance to GSU members who are engaged in a strike or lockout.

The vacancy was advertised within the GSU membership in April, and on May 15 the union's Joint Executive Council elected GSU Local 14 (Richardson) member Barb Healey to the Defense Fund Board. Healey works for Richardson at their Edenwold facility. She joins current Defense Fund directors and fellow GSU members Wilfred Harris (Local 1 - Viterra), Darryl Knelsen (Local 1 - Viterra), Ron Gerlock (Local 8 - Advance), and Dennis Piasta (Local 14 - Richardson) to round out the board.

"We are grateful to Sharlene for her service and excited to welcome Barb to the Defense Fund board," said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. "When members step forward to represent their fellow GSU members, it gives workers a collective voice and it strengthens the union."
 
Directors of the GSU Defense Fund are elected at the union's biennial conventions. Vacancies occurring between conventions are filled by candidates elected by the Joint Executive Council (JEC). Defense Fund directors must be members of GSU who are not also serving on the JEC.



Local 7 (Heartland) members vote to accept memorandum of settlement

On May 15 Local 7 members working for Heartland Livestock/Northern Livestock Sales voted 57 percent in favour of accepting the proposed memorandum of settlement. 

The three-year agreement includes a guaranteed wage increase for every unionized employee. 

Thank you to the GSU negotiating committee of Tyler Sherwood, Heather Mackay, and Donna Driediger for their work.


Make informed decisions! And call your GSU staff rep if you need help

Take an active role in your job 

Whether you are working on a company initiative, participating in a union committee, or working as part of your workplace team, take the time to understand what your employer is saying, what your union is saying, and be sure to ask questions.

Need advice? We can help

Call your GSU staff representative if you need clarification on your contract or if you want advice or ideas about how to handle a workplace situation. Your inquiry will be treated with strict confidence and contacting the union does not mean you are obligated to file a grievance. We will assist you in any way we can, but we will not contact your employer or act on your behalf without consultation, direction, and approval from you.

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

The application deadline has been extended to Sept. 1

In light of the uncertainty surrounding post-secondary institutions during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 scholarship application deadline has been extended to Sept. 1, 2020. 

Scholarship recipients will be chosen and announced by Oct. 15, 2020.





Have you been accepted into university or tech school? 
Are you a GSU member, spouse or dependant of a GSU member? 

If your answer is YES, you are eligible to apply for a GSU scholarship.

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.

The scholarship competition is open to GSU members, their spouses, and dependent children who have not previously won.

Learn more and download the forms  here.

Deadline for receipt of applications is September 1, 2020.

Round out your life with a hobby
 
Hobbies are something you do for enjoyment or fun, and everyone should take time to enjoy life and have a little fun. If you don't already have one, there are a number of reasons you may want to find a hobby or even take up another one.

In addition to doing something you enjoy and getting some *me* time, there are a number of benefits to having a hobby. They can help you relieve stress, help you stay healthy, provide you with a creative outlet and even improve your confidence. Some hobbies can help you make money or keep you from spending it. Depending on the hobby you choose, you might inadvertently end up in better shape or at least stay out of the fridge.

Learn more here:
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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