Local 4 (Grain Millers) bargaining meeting, vote – Aug. 17, Yorkton

A tentative settlement has been reached and members will have the opportunity to attend an August 17 meeting to hear the bargaining report and vote on acceptance or rejection.

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SFL OH&S Conference – Sept. 14-16, Regina

This popular conference will be held at the Ramada Hotel in Regina. Contact your GSU staff rep if you are interested in attending. In addition to covering your wages, hotel and approved incidentals as outlined in our expense policy, GSU will assist with your leave of absence request. 

Brochure: SFL OH&S Conference brochure

Learn More/Register Online: SFL OH&S Conference

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66th Annual SFL Convention - Oct. 26-28, Regina 

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour is anticipating an in-person convention at Regina's Queensbury Downs this October. The COVID-19 situation will be monitored prior to convention and attendees will be notified in advance of the convention if any health measures are required in order to attend.

Contact your GSU staff rep if you are interested in learning more or attending. In addition to covering your wages, hotel and approved incidentals as outlined in our expense policy, GSU will assist with your leave of absence request.  We have limited spaces available and several have already been claimed, so don't wait to long to throw your hat in the ring if you are interested in attending.

Brochure: 2022 SFL Convention Call Guide

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We've confirmed it: GSU's Viterra members to be paid mileage AND time spent when travelling to work at non-home station

Viterra employees have been getting mixed information regarding travel and use of personal vehicles. GSU staff rep Brian Lark noted that some managers were agreeing to paying for travel time and mileage while others were telling staff that they were entitled to either reimbursement, but not both.

Brian got in touch with Viterra management to find out what the policy was on this issue. Their reply was that while the Viterra travel policy and the collective agreement do not address the issue of compensation while traveling on company business, it is their practice to pay both for time spent travelling and, where a rental or Viterra vehicle is not available, to pay mileage.

This means that if you are required to travel from your home station for work elsewhere - and you use your personal vehicle - you are entitled to receive pay for travel and mileage.

Travel time refers to the time that it takes for you to travel to and from the secondary station. For example, a GSU member is working in Rosetown and required to help in Biggar for the day. Travel time is approximately 45 minutes to Biggar, work time is 10 hours and the return trip home is 45 minutes. The time entered should be 11.5 hours, as well as a mileage claim should be submitted for approximately 127 kilometers (total travel distance).

“Your vehicle is yours and the company cannot insist you that you use your personal vehicle to travel anywhere from your home station,” Brian said. “If there is not a company-supplied vehicle or a rental vehicle available for you, then you can refuse to travel for work.”

No problem is too small! Our services are provided to you as part of your union dues and there is never an additional charge for assisting you or a limit on the times you can seek advice. Contact information for GSU staff representatives is available on our web page at GSU.ca.

POSITION: General Secretary

We're recruiting to fill the position of GSU's general secretary (the chief executive officer of the union) which will be vacated with the retirement of the current incumbent at the end of March 2023. 

A copy of the job description for the position can be viewed and downloaded here.

This is an out-of-scope position which will be covered by an employment contract. Competitive benefits and working conditions are provided.

Position details, the job description, salary and more are available on our web page, GSU.ca.

Stay safe by avoiding these at-risk behaviors at work

Bad or at-risk behaviors cause incidents, injury and loss. For that reason, they are a major issue and concern in our workplaces. Explanations of four of the most common types of at-risk behaviors follow.

By GSU staff rep Brian Lark

Mind not on task

Mind not on task is just that. You are tasked with a duty to perform but you can’t stop thinking about a different situation.

Examples are replaying a disagreement you had with a friend or family member, or looking forward to an upcoming trip and your thoughts are filled with planning details, travel anxiety or just counting down the time until you leave. Whatever the reason for the distraction, your mind is not engaged with the task that you are doing and if you are not focused and may make a mistake.

Mistakes are costly to company and to employees through employee injury, loss of equipment, down time, needing to entirely redo the task properly. Whatever the loss, is it is better to do it once with and engaged mind.

Rushing

Rushing often happens near the end of the day or week when we are looking forward to getting the job done and enjoying time away from work. However, rushing often results in oversight of critical safety and procedural steps being missed or skipped to get the job done.

We have all heard of someone using a non-hammer to pound in a nail. Often it’s because we just want to get the job done and not spend the time getting the hammer. This type of behavior often leads to injury. In the hammer example, you are more likely to hit your fingers using a wrench as a hammer. Take the time to find the hammer.

In the Line of Fire

In the line of fire means placing yourself (or a part of yourself) in the path where it could get hurt.

For instance, standing in a laneway in the line where traffic flows, leaving your hand next to the nail you are pounding in with the hammer, or being in areas where we interact with equipment (like holding a piece of wood too close to the table saw blade or walking under a ladder that is in use).

In situations where if just one thing changes slightly and we can get hurt, we are at risk and injury is very likely. Best practice is to be aware of the dangers and keep clear of the line of fire.

Complacency

Complacency often results in injury and equipment damage as well. When we do a task often we know the risks, we get comfortable with them, and we are no longer afraid of them. It is not a matter of the risks being mitigated. Rather, we have simply been lucky enough not to become a victim.

When we become confident in a situation, in some cases we forget the risk is even there. As an example, we all get into our vehicles and drive to and from work each day on the same path, same time, same people on the road around us, and we forget the risks involved with driving are real and always present. One bad move from another motorist and we can become a part of the incident if we aren’t prepared for it.

The best thing to do when completing a task is to constantly be aware of the risks involved, keep your mind focused on what you are doing, keep clear of the line of fire and never rush to get a task done. Follow these steps and you are a lot less likely to be a victim of a preventable situation. 

If you need assistance addressing a safety in your workplace, don't hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep. Our services are provided to you and paid for by your union dues and there is never an additional charge for our assistance. 

Local 1 & 2 (Viterra) bargaining update issued earlier today

A bargaining preparation update was sent to Local 1 and 2 members earlier this morning. 

Check your email or visit the VITERRA BARGAINING page at GSU.ca to learn more. 

GSU bargaining committee members are Local 1 – Jim Brown (Balgonie), Wilfred Harris (Carnduff), Shannon Antonenko (Lloydminster), David Barrett (Gull Lake) and Travis Brewer (Saskatoon); Local 2 – Sheila Tran, Howard Wilson and Kaylee Kruger with assistance from GSU staff.

As bargaining proceeds, check out the VITERRA BARGAINING page on GSU's main web page where information on bargaining will be available.

Local 4 (Grain Millers) - Memorandum of Settlement reached 

A membership bargaining update and vote on the tentative settlement is being held in Yorkton on Aug. 17.

GSU's bargaining committee comprises Brandon Allin, Carter MacKay, Ryan McNabb, Glen Wlasichuk, Brian Lark (GSU staff) and Steve Torgerson (bargaining spokesperson and GSU staff).

Local 5 (Western Producer) bargaining 

The negotiation committee will be meeting on Aug. 17 to review communication, costing and analysis in preparation for upcoming negotiations.

Negotiations committee members are Michelle Houlden, Sharlene Lark, Laurie Michalycia and Donna Driediger (GSU staff and bargaining spokesperson).

Locals 16 (Lake Country Co-operative), 17 (Discovery Co-op), 18 (Lloydminster & District Cooperative Association)

GSU staff rep Brian Lark has visited GSU members and he is beginning preparations for bargaining this fall.

Locals 14 (Richardson) - agreement wording finalized, booklets will be printed and sent to members in September

The final wording of the Jan. 1, 2022 - Dec. 31, 2025 collective agreement is complete and the booklets are being prepared for print. In the meantime, view the new agreement on GSU's web page at GSU.ca.

If you found yourself with a large block of spare time, how would you use it? Would you take the time to complete your long list of shoulds ... or would you be able to release all thoughts about your to-do lists and just relax?

Many of us are so busy being busy that having downtime with nothing to do but take is easy is almost unnerving. We need to prioritize unwinding, enjoy life and make good use of our limited time on earth.

• Learning to relax can be life changing
• How you can finally learn to relax
• 12 Tips that will really, truly help you relax