September 22, 2020

Calendar highlights and upcoming events:
Nutrien, Local 15 (Nutrien) bargaining - Sept. 30, Oct. 1

There has been no reply from the company on their availability for earlier bargaining dates.

Members will be updated on the result of the meetings.

GSU collective agreements with Nutrien expired Dec. 31, 2019. Your GSU Local 15 bargaining committee members are Brian Cowen, Curtis Cousins, Lynn Shaw, GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson, and GSU staff rep/bargaining spokesperson Dale Markling.

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Semi-annual GSU Joint Executive Council meeting - Oct. 8

The union's governing body will tend to union business during a socially-distanced meeting in Regina. On-line attendance will also be available.

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GSU Local 6, Wild West Steelhead bargaining - Oct. 20

When the parties last met there was significant distance between the two sides with the company wanting a number of concessions and the members wanting improvements to language, benefits and wages. 

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Autumn 2020 membership meetings

In addition to usual union business, we've also got some constitutional amendments for your consideration and we need you to vote on whether you want to continue paying dues into the GSU Defense Fund.

The way we hold membership meetings will be different this autumn, and we're busy figuring out exactly how to take care of business while keeping everyone safe during Covid. If you have thoughts or suggestions on what type of meeting would work well for you, contact your GSU staff rep.

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GSU Executive Committee meets, prepares for upcoming meetings

GSU’s executive committee met in Regina Sept. 18 as preparations begin for GSU’s fall season of annual Local and Sub-Local meetings. The meeting was attended by president Jim Brown, vice presidents Michelle Houlden and Brett North, and general secretary Hugh Wagner.

The business of the meeting included an update on GSU finances, review of the draft autumn 2020 general secretary's report, plans for the GSU’s Joint Executive Council (board of directors) meeting on Oct. 8, the annual resolution on whether to continue the additional dues being paid into the GSU defense fund, a resolution to amend the union constitution by re-assigning policy conventions to odd-numbered years beginning in March 2021, and plans for the union’s 2021 policy convention.
 
The president and two vice presidents are the three voting members of the executive committee. The committee meets as frequently as required to conduct the business of the union between meetings of the Joint Executive Council and policy conventions of union delegates.

Learn more about the Joint Executive Council here.

Identifying problems as soon as they arise benefits everyone.

No problem is too small to contact your GSU staff rep. It's easier to solve problems when they are small, and sometimes a brief comment, email, or meeting is all that's needed to address a situation. Call us when you think there is a problem to be fixed.

These services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

Contact your GSU staff rep toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 (Regina) or 1.855.384.7314 (Saskatoon) for advice about your workplace problem.

We helped a member receive their proper overtime pay.
 
Staff rep Donna Driediger helped a member who was having trouble getting overtime paid appropriately when the workplace manager didn't think it was fair that unionized staff received overtime pay when out-of-scope staff did not. 

Donna contacted company representatives and was able to resolve the situation with the member receiving their overtime pay and with clarification in the workplace going forward regarding collective agreement rights on overtime.

Need assistance? Just want advice? GSU can help. If you have questions about a problem or workplace issue, call us. Our services are provided to you as part of your union dues and there is no additional charge for assisting you.
Clear your mind by eliminating visual noise
Society has taught us to crave more. More clothes, more tools, more channels, the newest trends and the latest technology. If you don't follow the "one in, one out" rule as you acquire more possessions, you need to find a place to put all these new things, and when you run out of places to tuck things away, you have clutter.

Being surrounded by physical clutter can cause anxiety, insomnia, and an impaired ability to focus. That can leave us feeling unproductive, tired, and seeking self-soothing couch time with too many snacks.

If the thought of clutter makes your head start spinning, you may benefit from paring down your possessions to what is really important.

Learn more about the minimalist lifestyle 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.