GSU Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) executive is giving away Rider tickets to this Friday's home game

Our GSU Local 2 executive has fired up their football ticket giveaways for the 2023 Saskatchewan Roughrider season. The current ticket contest runs until 3:00 PM on June 15, giving Local 2 members a chance to win tickets to the Riders' home game against the Blue Bombers this Friday, June 16.

If you are a Local 2 member, check your email for details.

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GSU scholarship applications are in the hands of our scholarship committee

Thank you to everyone who applied to our scholarship program. Our scholarship committee will be meeting over the summer to select this year's five recipients who will each receive a $2,000 scholarship to assist them in their studies.

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Saskatchewan Federation of Labour Education Opportunities

SFL Summer Camp

Shekinah Retreat Centre (Near Waldheim, SK)

August 19-25, 2023

GSU will sponsor up to three campers who are dependents of GSU members. Contact your staff rep to learn more.

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Bunge and Viterra have finalized an agreement that would see them merge as soon as mid-2024.

This announcement is just the beginning of a long road ahead as the deal is scrutinized by governments, the press, concerned citizens, and the Competition Bureau of Canada. While we don't have the final picture of this merger yet, we do know a few things.

GSU has been here before

GSU has been through several corporate mergers, bankruptcies and buyouts. Through it all, our only goal has always been to protect the interests of our members and working people.

Corporate mergers and acquisitions are not made with the workers in mind, except when the cost savings of 'synergies' result in eliminating jobs. Unions are organizations of working people, and belonging to GSU is your voice and protection when companies merge. 

GSU’s collective agreements live on regardless of who owns the business 

Your collective agreements are contracts that persist and continue even if the ownership and company name change. Once mergers or buyouts take place, certifications are amended through an application to the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

Our work continues

Even after all legal protections and processes are in place to ensure protection of union members, our work continues. Workers are constantly pushed to work faster, harder, and do more for less (and often with less), and GSU will be there to protect its members and their collective agreements.

Accelerated market investments and corporate growth aren’t driven by markets and corporations. It’s working people and their labour growing, moving, processing and shipping the commodities who make corporations wealthy.

Workers drive growth and success. They always have and we must never forget that.

The concern about tomorrow and what will come of this merger is real but, as a union member, you belong to a union that is ready to represent your interests and protect you. GSU will be here with you, as we always have, to defend all members through company mergers and beyond.

Steve Torgerson

GSU General Secretary

Steve@gsu.ca

Member signatures requested on Company document

Viterra management has recently introduced a document to GSU Local 1 (Viterra Operations and Maintenance) members requesting their signatures as a commitment to maintaining ongoing health and safety within their workplaces.

GSU staff are monitoring this development and addressing member inquiries and concerns.

If you are a Local 1 member with questions about this document or its implications, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep.

If you need advice or ideas about how to handle a workplace situation, call your GSU staff rep. Our services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

Local 1 (Viterra Ops & Maintenance) & Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) committee to meet company representatives June 14

Bargaining continues in Regina tomorrow and it is expected Viterra will respond to the proposals we submitted last week.

An email update will be issued following the June 14 bargaining session.

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: mediation continues July 26 & 27

The Local 5 bargaining committee is hopeful that Mediator Kevin Eckert will assist the parties in an effort to reach a negotiated settlement.

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

Local 16 (Lake Country Co-op) - awaiting company approval on final wording of the new collective agreement

GSU staff rep Brian Lark has incorporated amendments made during the recent round of bargaining into the wording of a new collective bargaining agreement. We are hopeful Lake Country Co-op representatives will complete their review soon and the final adjustments can be made. Upon approval of the final wording by union and company officials, the new collective agreement will be formatted into booklets and distributed to members.  

Local 17 (Discovery Co-op) - awaiting company approval on final wording of the new collective agreement

We are hopeful company representatives will soon complete their review and we can incorporate final adjustments to the new collective agreement wording. Following that, we will post the agreement on our web page and format it into new collective agreement booklets for members.

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.

You don't just deserve a vacation - you need one!

Taking a vacation is crucial for recharging, relaxing, and reconnecting with friends and family. It provides an opportunity to step away from the demands of work and dedicate time to self-care. Vacations allow individuals to unwind, rejuvenate their energy levels, and reduce stress, ultimately enhancing their overall well-being. By engaging in activities they enjoy, workers can nurture their passions, hobbies, and personal interests, which can contribute to a more fulfilling and balanced life.

Feeling guilty about scheduling vacation time? Don’t. A break from work benefits you and your employer. When workers take time off, they return to work feeling refreshed, motivated, and more productive. Vacation time enables individuals to gain a broader perspective, gain new experiences, and develop a well-rounded outlook. When workers take time to recharge and indulge in activities they enjoy, it contributes to a positive work-life balance, fostering a healthier workforce.

Ultimately, taking a vacation is a win-win situation that supports personal well-being and contributes to your employer's success. So get busy and plan your vacation!

Learn more here:

• 7 reasons why EVERYONE should take vacation - even if they are busy!
• 51 best staycation ideas for when you can't travel