Defense Fund Board of Directors - October (tentative)

Arrangements are being made to hold a meeting of Fund directors in October. Date to be announced. 

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Joint Executive Council meeting - Oct. 25, Regina

GSU's governing body will meet in Regina on Oct. 15 for their semi-annual meeting.

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GSU biennial policy convention - March 30, 31 & April 1, 2023

The Joint Executive Council convenes a policy convention of GSU delegates once every two years prior to May 31. The location of the 2023 policy convention is being finalized.

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Busy bargaining calendar for GSU

This fall GSU will be engaged in agreement renewal collective bargaining with the following employers:

• Viterra (Locals 1 and 2)
• The Western Producer (Local 5)
• Heartland Livestock Services (Local 7)
• Lakeland Co-operative Association (Local 16)
• Discovery Co-operative Ltd. (Local 17)
• Lloydminster and District Co-operative Association (Local 18).

Not surprisingly, the major focus in bargaining will be wage increases as consumer inflation has spiked upwards in 2022 and the Bank of Canada’s antidote of higher interest rates is also increasing the cost of living for many working people.

GSU members will pursue wage increases substantially higher than the norms of the last decade and we anticipate meeting employer resistance to decent wage increases for their workforces.

Employer opposition to higher wages is not new. However, there are several factors supporting wage demands, including a general labour shortage exacerbated by much lower than normal immigration to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing numbers of workers retiring or leaving the fulltime workforce for other reasons.

Added to the equation is the growing dominance of millennials and succeeding generations of workers who have an approach to work that tends to be more balanced and healthy. Include the emerging phenomenon of quiet quitting along with the resurgence of unions and what we have is potential for a so-called paradigm shift in the labour market.

Despite the added leverage for labour, determination and fortitude in bargaining will still be required in order to break new ground and improve wages. In this regard, the success of GSU members in Local 4 (Grain Millers) is proof that the straitjacket of low wage increases can be unraveled if union members stick together and make it clear they will not back down.

GSU is confident in its ability to bargain good settlements with good wage increases and other improvements for union members. We have the resources to do the job, including the GSU Defense Fund which is there to support members who strike or are locked out.

Whatever the challenges, GSU will continue to work, communicate, educate and organize members to support one another in the struggle for improved wages, working conditions and benefits.

Members to vote on GSU Defense Fund dues

Each year since 1996 GSU members attending their Local or Sub-Local annual meeting have debated and voted on a motion to continue paying additional dues into the GSU Defense Fund. This year is no different as GSU’s Executive Committee is submitting a motion to continue the additional dues to the Defense Fund for another year. 

Notwithstanding the current turmoil in financial markets, the market value of the Fund stood at slightly more than $5.1 million in mid-September. Accordingly, as GSU enters agreement renewal bargaining this autumn, union members will have the financial resources to sustain collective bargaining disputes for better wages and working conditions.

Currently strike/lockout pay for participating GSU members is 75 percent of the individual’s net regular pay plus payment of premiums to continue group insurance and health benefits coverage.

The motion members will vote on at the 2022 annual GSU meetings reads as follows:

“Be it resolved that the additional dues being paid into the GSU Defense Fund by members/employees represented by GSU shall continue until December 31, 2023, subject to review by members of the union at the 2023 annual Local and Sub-Local meetings.”

A majority of 50 percent plus one of all the votes cast at all of the meetings is required for the resolution to be carried or defeated. Be sure to attend your GSU annual meeting and vote.

GSU membership meetings are currently being scheduled. Watch your email for your notice or contact your GSU staff rep to learn more.

Health & Safety

Don't let poor communication skills cause health and safety issues 

In a world of electronic communication, email, text, and video conferencing it is still surprisingly easy to struggle with communication.

By GSU staff rep Brian Lark

Humans aren’t naturally gifted communicators. We believe we know what someone is telling us and we don’t ask for clarification - often listening or reading just long enough to plan our response rather than taking in what is being said. When giving instruction, we assume that people comprehend what we are saying and we fail to ask them for clarity to ensure they understand. 

In the shops and workplaces where our members are employed there are many situations and circumstances where communication is key. Communication failure can lead to work not getting done or being done incorrectly, unwanted start of equipment, discharge of energy or a loss of product putting us or others in the line of fire. In safety-sensitive atmospheres, such as confined spaces or working with moving equipment and vehicles, poor communication can result in injury and even death. 

Failure to understand directions or communication can also lead to the wrong people doing work that they are not trained to do, duplication of the work or the work not getting completed at all because it was never clear who should be doing the work. 

Written instruction alone may not be clear or concise enough to give all required direction. There is a level of interpretation required when reading written text. There my be improper punctuation or poor wording choice, and there is no way to read audio cues (sarcasm, emphasis) and body language that come with in-person communication. With an ever-growing population, our workplaces are seeing more and more people whose first language is not English, meaning things may get lost in translation or the slang we use when communicating. 

At the end of the day, if you are the one giving or receiving instruction, make sure to be clear on what you are communicating and who you are communicating to. Be direct and use appropriate forms of communication, and always ask for clarification to ensure you completely understand the directions given to you or that the direction you have given was clearly understood. 

If you have concerns about your health and safety in the workplace, don't hesitate to contact Brian Lark or one of our other GSU staff reps.

Local 1 & 2 (Viterra) proposals being gathered for bargaining

Information has been mailed to the Local 1 elected officers and location contacts for distribution to members. 

Bargaining packages are being finalized in preparation for meeting with Viterra representatives. While bargaining dates are yet to be set to begin the negotiating process with the employer, we anticipate meeting in the fall. 

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 representatives Mason Van Luven and Steve Torgerson (GSU bargaining committee spokesperson).

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

Locals 4 (Grain Millers) agreement has been signed

Union and company officials have signed the new collective agreement. The next step is preparation of collective agreement booklets for distribution to members.

The agreement is always available to view or print from GSU's web page at GSU.ca.

Local 5 (Western Producer) bargaining is underway 

The first bargaining session between union and company representatives is taking place today, tomorrow and Thursday in Saskatoon. 

The bargaining committee comprises Michelle Houlden, Sharlene Lark, Laurie Michalycia and Donna Driediger (bargaining spokesperson and GSU staff).

Local 7 (Heartland Livestock Services/Northern Livestock Sales) prepares for bargaining 

The bargaining committee met on Oct. 28 to review bargaining proposals and strategize in preparation for upcoming negotiations.

Contact has been initiated with the employer to schedule bargaining dates. 

The bargaining committee comprises  Lori Branton (Prince Albert), Paige Lister (Moose Jaw), and Melissa Little (Yorkton) and Mason Van Luven (bargaining spokesperson and GSU staff).

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

Dec. 7, 8, 13 and 14 have been set to begin Local 17 bargaining. The committee is planning to meet Oct. 12 to review their bargaining proposal package.

Dates for Local 16 and Local 18 have not yet been set.  

GSU staff rep Brian Lark will meet with the union's bargaining committees to review the members' bargaining proposals. 

It can be difficult to decide whether or not to check-in with your physician. If you have a broken bone, are bleeding profusely or having symptoms of a possible heart attack, heading to the emergency clinic is a no-brainer. But if you are someone who tends to sweep health issues aside or you struggle with the thought of inconveniencing others, check out the links below to help you determine if it's time to get your issue checked out or if it's okay to wait it out.

• 8 signs you should see a doctor
• 25 subtle signs your body is saying "Go to a doctor!"
• Do I need a doctor?