Our Tuesday Members' Memo will be bi-weekly over the summer

Watch for our TMM every second Tuesday over the summer. We'll return to our weekly newsletters in September.

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GSU scholarship recipients will be announced in Sept.

Thank you to everyone who applied to our scholarship program. Our scholarship recipients have been contacted and we will be introducing them to you soon.

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We're anticipating and preparing for a busy autumn agenda

We've reached the final weeks of August, and GSU staff are beginning to examine timetables for upcoming annual general membership meetings; meetings of various GSU committees, councils and boards; and training opportunities for members.

More information will be available soon.

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Expedited arbitration procedure

Like many other unions, GSU is examining the use of an expedited grievance and arbitration process. Using it would reduce the amount of time spent waiting to receive a rendered decision and the costs involved in arbitrating a grievance.

“We've found that most arbitrators are willing to participate in an expedited process,” said GSU general secretary Steve Torgerson. “Now we are examining how we could make it work for our members and then we can work to incorporate it in our agreements.” 

Identifying problems as soon as they arise benefits everyone

No problem is too small!

It's easier to solve problems when they are small, and sometimes a brief comment, email or meeting is all that is needed to address a situation. Call your GSU staff rep when you have a question or think there is a problem that needs to be fixed.

Contacting GSU doesn't mean you are obligated to file a grievance.

We are here to assist you in any way we can, but we won't contact your employer, file a grievance or act on your behalf without consultation, direction and approval from you.

GSU services are provided to you and paid for by your union dues. There is never an additional charge for assisting you, and there is no limit on the times you can seek advice.



Local 1 (Viterra Ops & Maintenance) & Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) bargaining committees are ready to return to negotiations

The Local 1 Board of Delegates and Local 2 Executive met separately and determined the July 13 tentative agreement terms are not sufficient to proceed to a membership vote.

The Local 1 and 2 bargaining committees have been instructed to return to negotiations. This information was shared with Viterra and we are working to arrange bargaining dates.

“We advised Viterra that our bargaining committees are able to resume bargaining next week and each week after that until we reach a settlement,” said GSU general secretary and bargaining committee spokesperson Steve Torgerson in an Aug. 11 email update to Local 1 and 2 members. “We all want to reach a deal that is acceptable to members of Local 1 and 2, and your bargaining committees are willing to meet every week if we have to, so there is no delay."

Members will be advised when bargaining dates have been confirmed. 

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact a bargaining committee member or your GSU staff representative.

You can read previous updates on the VITERRA BARGAINING page on GSU's main web page under the Bargaining menu tab. Contact Mason@gsu.ca to be added to our bargaining update email list.

GSU bargaining committee members are Local 1 – Jim Brown (Balgonie), Wilfred Harris (Carnduff), Shannon Antonenko (Lloydminster), David Barrett (Gull Lake), Travis Brewer (Saskatoon), Dale Lysitza (Lloydminster) and Broc Goodwin (Moose Jaw); Local 2 – Sheila Tran, Howard Wilson and Kaylee Kruger with assistance from GSU staff representatives Mason Van Luven and Steve Torgerson (GSU bargaining committee spokesperson). Don't hesitate to contact your bargaining committee with any questions or concerns you may have.

Local 5 (Western Producer) bargaining impasse - membership meeting to be held Aug. 23

Local 5 members are currently wading through a muddy and strange situation. Their employer continues to use tactics during this round of bargaining that are unlike anything they have ever done, leaving members to ask why and consider what the employer is looking to accomplish.

A membership meeting has been scheduled for Aug. 23 to discuss the employer’s *final offer* and receive the Local’s bargaining committee report before voting on whether to accept or reject the company’s offer.

The bargaining committee comprises Michelle Houlden, Laurie Michalycia, Donna Driediger (bargaining co-spokesperson/GSU staff) and Steve Torgerson (bargaining co-spokesperson/GSU general secretary).

Local 16 (Lake Country Co-op) - final wording of the new collective agreement is approved, the agreement is signed

Lake Country Co-op and GSU representatives have completed their review, final wording has been agreed upon and the new collective agreement has been signed. The new collective agreement is on our web page and we are formatting it into booklets for distribution to members. 

Local 17 (Discovery Co-op) - the new collective agreement is now available on our web page

The agreement has been signed and it's available on our web page at GSU.ca. We'll be also be formatting the new collective agreement into new collective agreement booklets for Local 17 members soon.

Local 18 (Lloydminster & District Cooperative Association) - new collective agreement wording being finalized

On May 25, members of Local 18 voted in favour of accepting the proposed memorandum of agreement. Steps have been made toward incorporating the changes into the collective agreement. Once wording is finalized and agreed upon, we will make copies of the agreement and distribute them to members.



Local 19 (Prairie Co-op) - current collective agreement expires Dec. 31, 2023

With their collective agreement set to expire on Dec 31, 2023, Local 19 will be our last Co-op local to round out what has been nearly two consistent years of negotiations with Federated Co-operatives Limited and other Co-ops across Saskatchewan, headed by GSU staff representative Brian Lark. Local 19 will benefit from the lessons learned and the priorities shared at those tables as we gear up for negotiations that will likely center on the cost of living. 

In the coming months, GSU staff rep Mason Van Luven is planning to engage with the members of Local 19 to assess their priorities, hear from them, and elect bargaining committee members.

Celebrate your strengths

Each of us has a unique blend of skills, abilities and talents that fills a niche in our families, communities and the world. Without this diversity, things would be pretty generic and boring.

Take time to recognize and celebrate the list of talents and strengths that make you and your contribution unique, and don’t make the mistake of comparing what you do to what others are capable of doing. Comparisons can lead to feelings of inadequacy and diminish your self-confidence and feelings of worth, so don’t welcome that negativity into your life.

Need a reason to celebrate what you have to offer? Learn more here:

• Beautifully Simple You: Celebrate your uniqueness
• Why we should celebrate our unique qualities