SFL Summer Camp – August 5-11, Shekinah Retreat Centre

This year's summer camp will be held at the Shekinah Retreat Centre near Waldheim. Young people between the ages of 13-16 who are children of union members are eligible to attend.

GSU will sponsor up to three GSU campers on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more below and contact your GSU staff rep to learn more.

Brochure: SFL Summer Camp 2022

Learn More/Register Online: SFL Summer Camp

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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.

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.

Brochure: 2022 SFL Convention Call Guide

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Local 14 (Richardson) delegates hold post-bargaining debrief, plan for increased member involvement 

Delegates from GSU Local 14 met in Regina on June 22 and 23 for a post-bargaining de-brief, union education and the delegates annual meeting.

The first session of the meeting focused on agreement renewal bargaining and the recent settlement with Richardson Pioneer wherein a majority of Local 14 members narrowly accepted a final offer from the employer. The delegates had a frank discussion about the recent bargaining experience and the response by members at their locations. Based on the discussion, the meeting began to lay out a plan for strengthening members’ engagement and representation over the balance of the new collective agreement term as well as building a foundation for a strong collective bargaining response to issues confronting members.

Day two of the meeting focused on building capacity for delegates and GSU to offer improved representation to Local 14 members. The annual meeting portion of the gathering resulted in the election of Jerid Clark (White City) and Curtis Shiels (Melville) to be Local 14’s representatives on GSU’s Joint Executive Council (board of directors).

On the afternoon of June 23, delegates from Locals 1 (Viterra Operations and Maintenance) and Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) joined the assembly for a joint education session focused on conflict resolution and effective communication.

“Meetings such as this are an integral part of GSU’s commitment to workplace democracy,” said GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson. “Gathering representatives from the various locations and Locals to share their experiences and get to know one another is vital to maintaining a representative and responsive union.”

Local 1, 2 (Viterra) delegates meet, authorize bargaining survey, prepare for autumn bargaining with employer

Delegates from GSU Locals 1 (Viterra Operations and Maintenance) and 2 (Viterra Head Office) met in Regina on June 23 and 24 for union education and agreement renewal bargaining preparation.

The first session of the delegates meeting was a joint union education effort with delegates from Local 14 which centered on conflict resolution and effective communication. The next morning Local 1 and 2 delegates focused on the collective bargaining process and preparing for agreement renewal bargaining with Viterra for renewal of the collective agreements that expire on Oct. 31.

The June 24 sessions provided an initial sounding for the bargaining priorities of GSU members employed in Viterra country operations, maintenance and Regina head office. Delegates were very candid about the experiences and bargaining expectations of union members at their locations. Several broad themes emerged and chief among them are wage increases that reflect employees’ contributions to Viterra as well as addressing the rising cost of living. Pay equity for Facility Sales and Admin employees and actual performance pay for Regina head office employees were central to the discussion. Hours of work and car loading issues are also top priorities for country operations and maintenance employees.

Delegates elected David Barrett (Gull Lake) to be the new president of Local 1 while Colton Buck (Balgonie) was elected vice president. They will be joined by Travis Brewer (Saskatoon) and Chris Yeo (Belle Plaine) as Local 1’s representatives on GSU’s Joint Executive Council (JEC).

In being elected president of Local 1 David Barrett replaces Jim Brown who continues to be president of GSU overall and continues to serve on the bargaining committee. Colton Buck is the new VP of Local 1 while Travis Brewer returns as an incumbent and Chris Yeo joins as a new representative on the JEC.

“We’re continuing GSU’s transition to a new generation of leaders,” said GSU president Jim Brown. “Welcome to David, Colton, Travis and Chris.”

The delegates meeting also elected a bargaining committee comprising Jim Brown (Balgonie), Wilfred Harris (Carnduff), Shannon Antonenko (Lloydminster), David Barrett (Gull Lake) and Travis Brewer (Saskatoon). Local 2 delegates Sheila Tran, Howard Wilson and Kaylee Kruger were active participants in the dialogue. They serve as their Local’s bargaining committee and representatives on GSU’s Joint Executive Council.

The meeting adopted a bargaining survey that will go out to Local 1 and 2 members this summer and set the stage for assembling shortly after Labour Day to put the finishing touches or bargaining proposals to take to the table with Viterra later this summer and early autumn.

Our path to reconciliation includes listening, learning, and creating opportunities for education and participation within GSU. On the last Tuesday of each month we will be sharing a short piece of information that we hope will inspire you to learn more about the topic and ultimately contribute to a shared future of reconciliation.

National Indigenous Peoples Day, Symbolism, and History

Celebrated in Canada every summer solstice (the longest day of the year), National Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes, celebrates, and honours the heritage and culture of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples.

First suggested by the National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations) in 1982 to be a symbolic day of recognition, the issue became pressed to the forefront of Canadian society in 1990 when tensions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous resulted in what is now known as the Oka Crisis. Essentially, private developers proposed the expansion of a golf course and the development of townhouses that would have them built on contested territory, a portion of which was a Mohawk burial ground. These tensions revealed a stark contrast between Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of living that revitalized a call for a national day of recognition.

In 1995, an assembly of non-Indigenous and Indigenous spiritual leaders, organized by Elijah Harper, pressed the federal government to establish “National First Peoples Day”. A then Royal Commission, a year later, recommended the same. Shortly after, Governor General Romeo LeBlanc publicly declared that June 21 would be an annual day of recognition.

This history speaks to the effort necessary to raise awareness and the social consciousness of people even though, in hindsight, the recognition of the issue seems obvious. Unless people come together, and build connections across communities, recognition is an unlikely outcome.

Whatever you want to accomplish, find people who want the same. 

There is so much more to learn!

GSU is building a truth and reconciliation lending library. If you have resources you would recommend for our library or are interested in borrowing a book, contact staff rep Mason Van Luven at Mason@gsu.ca.

Local 1 & 2 (Viterra) delegates meeting - June 23 & 24

Bargaining, proposals and the best time to elect a bargaining committee are on the agenda for discussion when the elected delegates of Local 1 and 2 meet this Thursday and Friday in Regina.

Local 4 (Grain Millers) bargaining scheduled for July 20, 21, 22

GSU's bargaining committee members were pleased with a good turnout and productive discussion at their June 13 bargaining update meeting. Now that they have checked in with members, the committee feels prepared for the next round of negotiations in July.

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).

Delayed start to Local 5 (Western Producer) bargaining 

The GSU bargaining team will meet in mid-August to begin a full cost analysis of our bargaining package and to discuss potential strategies when meeting with the company. Members are encouraged to contact anyone on the bargaining team or staff rep Donna Driediger with questions or concerns.

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

For most of us, Canada Day officially kicks off summer and time to execute our long-awaited vacation plans. 

While taking time off may feel like an indulgence, it is also a critical part of your health and wellness. Studies have shown that men who don’t take time away from work are more likely to suffer from heart disease, and women who don’t take vacations are more likely to suffer from depression. 

A rested and balanced employee is a good employee, meaning days away from work are good for you and your employer (even though some employers may lead you to feel otherwise).

Life is short, so use your earned time off to relax and recharge. It's an enjoyable way to ensure that when you return to work you're ready to do and be your best in your workplace and at home. 

• Why you should take a vacation this year
• How to make sure your staycation is a vacation
• Don't skip that vacation, even if you aren't going anywhere