Calendar Highlights & Upcoming Events | |
Joint Executive Council meeting - March 21, Regina | |
GSU's governing body will convene for their annual spring meeting in Regina where they will review and discuss the union's affairs. 2024 will be a busy year as we have reached the halfway point between our biennial policy conventions.
GSU Executive Committee Meeting Update:
Last week, your Executive Committee met to prepare for the upcoming Joint Executive Council meeting. This included:
- reviewing the draft GSU budget,
- discussing the 2025 GSU convention,
- reviewing policies,
- choosing an essay question for the GSU scholarship, and
- planning for further GSU education this Fall.
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Prairie School for Union Women - June 9–13, Regina, SK
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Earlybird registration deadline is May 3 | |
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The Prairie School for Union Women offers trade union women an intensive four days of learning and sharing in a supportive environment. The goals of the school are to develop women’s personal and leadership skills and to build solidarity among women workers.
Whether you are a woman who is a seasoned union advocate or just starting to get involved in your union, this school is open to you. This year, the school will be held in person in Regina from June 9 – 13 at the University of Regina
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Assisting with a smooth exit strategy to a new employer | |
GSU staff rep Brian Lark has been assisting a member who will be resigning to pursue employment elsewhere. This member wants to ensure they leave on good terms without burning any bridges for the future, and Lark is helping with timing and resignation considerations and suggestions. | |
Consulting with a GSU representative is a service 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 number of times you can seek help. We are committed to offering the support you need, and we will never contact your employer to take action on your behalf without your approval or consent. | |
We are awarding five $2,000 scholarships | |
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Have you been accepted into university or tech school?
Are you a GSU member, spouse or dependent of a GSU member?
If your answer is YES, you are eligible to apply for a GSU scholarship.
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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 dependents (even if they have previously been awarded a GSU scholarship).
Scholarship applicants must be enrolled in a diploma, degree, or certificate program at a community college, university, trade school, or technical institute as a full-time student in any country.
Learn more, download the forms or complete them online at GSU.ca.
Deadline for receipt of applications is July 1, 2024.
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GSU's 2024 new-officer training held online | |
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On March 6, 2024, 13 newly-elected GSU officers and stewards gathered online for training. This round of training was similar to last year's new-officer training with one addition: emphasis on where unions receive their greatest strength and power.
"Sometimes we equate power with wealth and how that wealth exerts influence on people and society, and money does have that effect," said GSU general secretary Steve Torgerson. "But unions have always received their power and strength not from money, but from the influence and work of their members."
Everyone recognizes that a group of people can work together to achieve more than they could separately. It's a good to keep reminding ourselves to see the union in that light.
Members are the union, and members are the fuel that drives their union's collective purposes forward. This concept becomes clear by replacing the word "union" with "us" or "we" when discussing the work GSU is doing.
This is our third year of focused new-officer training. We're already excited about next year's training as we keep improving the content and delivery to better help our elected officers to assist GSU members.
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Local 1 (Viterra Ops & Maintenance) & Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) - working toward signing the new collective agreement | |
Executive grievances were filed with Viterra on Feb. 26. Copies of the grievances and background information are available here.
We are working to coordinate meetings with the company to sign copies of the new agreement. When the agreement is signed. we'll start working on preparing agreement booklets for members.
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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 Yanoshewski with assistance from GSU staff representatives Mason Van Luven and Steve Torgerson (GSU general secretary and bargaining committee spokesperson).
| Local 5 (Western Producer) bargaining impasse: Next bargaining date set for March 13 | |
GSU and WPP reconvened bargaining negotiations on Feb. 22. Progress is being made at the table and the two sides are set to meet again tomorrow by video conference.
GSU believes both sides are interested in finalizing negotiations and are moving in that direction. We remain optimistic and look forward to continued progression toward a new collective agreement for all Local 5 members.
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The bargaining committee comprises Laurie Michalycia, Donna Driediger (bargaining co-spokesperson/GSU staff) and Steve Torgerson (bargaining co-spokesperson/GSU general secretary).
| Local 6 (Wild West Steelhead) bargaining scheduled to resume March 26 | |
GSU's Local 6 negotiating committee met on Feb 13 to complete their bargaining package before they met with the employer on Feb 14. Both sides presented proposals and while progress was made, a tentative settlement was not reached.
The committee is look forwarding to fruitful dialogue when bargaining resumes on March 26.
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The bargaining committee comprises Connor Hartley, Logan Farwell, Kassie Freeland and Donna Driediger (lead negotiator/GSU staff).
| Local 9 (Trouw) agreement renewal bargaining continues by email | |
GSU bargaining committee members Jordan Jefferson, Kelly Swaretsky, Robert Macken and Mason Van Luven met with company representatives on Feb. 22 to continue agreement renewal bargaining. After a full day of negotiations, a handful of remaining items need to be put into contract language, and the committees have pivoted to bargaining by email.
"With a new mill expected to be commissioned by mid-2024, members are anxious to secure a contract", explained Van Luven. "Our goal is to start the ratification process in the coming weeks so as to provide an opportunity for members to ask questions, and when the time comes, cast a ballot—the best way to see if the offer is good enough".
The Company agreed to participate in the creation of a "FAQ" where members can submit their questions to Union Officers who will then compile the questions into a list for the Company to answer.
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Your GSU bargaining committee comprises Rob Macken, Kelly Swaretzky and Mason Van Luven (bargaining co-spokesperson/GSU staff). Jordan Jefferson is serving as alternate.
| Local 19 (Prairie Co-op) little headway made in Feb. 28 and 29 bargaining sessions | |
GSU’s Local 19 (Prairie Co-op) bargaining committee engaged in virtual collective agreement renewal negotiations with their employer counterparts on Feb. 28 and 29. This marked their second encounter since their initial bargaining session on Feb. 14.
Last week’s sessions marked newly-elected GSU committee representative MacKenzie Walter’s first time attending a bargaining meeting. Her observation? "We went into negotiations prepared to bargain with our employer, but the last bargaining session felt like our counterparts were not."
The committee expressed that being outside the pandemic economy, it should be apparent that their costs to live in their community skyrocketed, and are slow to recover.
"When a company's cost increases, so do their prices. When certain suppliers experience the same, they follow suit. But when workers do it, it is frowned upon if not mocked by employers," explained GSU staff representative and bargaining committee spokesperson Mason Van Luven. "Employers fail to admit that when workers in our rural areas cannot support themselves, they can’t support the local economy they depend on for business. You can’t cut labour costs and expect increased returns year after year."
Local 19 members are asking for improved benefits, better pay and a compensation structure that factors in performance, annual increases, and movement through a range.
The current collective agreement expired Oct. 31, 2023.
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Your GSU bargaining committee comprises Colter Spence, Lindsay Hill, Jennifer Schmidt, Mackenzie Walter and Mason Van Luven (bargaining co-spokesperson/GSU staff). | |
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In her 2017 speech accepting the Cecil B. deMille award at the Golden Globes, Meryl Streep delivered a powerful message (above) that cut to the core of societal dynamics.
Whether you are a person in a position or power, a coworker, friend or one person among many in your community, when you disrespect or inflict violence on others, the result will never be respect or peace. Disrespect and violence are dangerous cycles. They escalate conflicts and the consequences are harmful.
Challenge yourself to do better and to set an example for others to follow. Be an example of respect, nonviolence, and integrity. Promote dignity and fairness, reject abuse of power, and foster empathy.
Streep's statement serves as a compelling call to action, reminding us to accept responsibility for creating a world where respect and empathy prevail. Never underestimate yourself; you have the power to make a positive difference and bring about change.
Learn more here:
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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. | | | | |
