GSU Shop Steward/New Officer Training - March 1, 2023

Registration is closed and leaves of absence are being arranged for participants of this online course. If you have registered and you have questions, contact Steve@gsu.ca for more information.

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GSU Defense Fund board of directors to meet before GSU convention

A meeting of the Defense Fund board is being scheduled to conduct a year-end review in preparation for GSU's upcoming policy convention. Election of a new five-person board will also take place during the convention.

If you are interested in becoming a board member immediately or letting your name stand for election at our policy convention, please send your expression of interest to Hugh@gsu.ca.

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GSU biennial policy convention - March 23, 24 & 25, 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 the Moose Jaw Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa.

Learn more here.

Members who are interested in becoming a delegate to GSU’s 2023 convention are asked to follow up by contacting their Local executive committee members, a GSU staff representative or by sending an email to GSUconvention@gsu.ca.

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Will you be one of our next Defense Fund directors?

Delegates to GSU's 2023 biennial policy convention in March will elect five directors to the board of GSU's Defense Fund.

The directors hold quarterly meetings (some years a few more meetings might be necessary). The aim is to hold at least one in-person meeting each year, with the remainder being held via conference call or Zoom.

All meetings of the directors are held on regular work days and paid union leave is arranged for the board members to attend and participate.

In-person meetings of the Board are held in Regina. Accordingly, travel, hotel and meal expenses are covered by GSU's expense policy so the member is not out-of-pocket. Paid union leave is also provided to cover travel time.

GSU Defense Fund board members are elected to two-year terms of office. All of the directors must be GSU members and three of the five directors must be from Locals 1 (Viterra - Operations & Maintenance), Local 2 (Viterra Head Office), Local 14 (Richardson) or Local 15 (Nutrien). GSU Members who serve on GSU's Joint Executive Council cannot simultaneously serve on the on the Defense Fund board.

Candidates for the board do not have to be delegates to the GSU convention.

If you are interested in becoming a GSU Defense Fund director, please provide a brief bio that includes:

• where you work,
• your GSU Local (or your employer),
• how long you have been a GSU member,
• why you are interested in the position, and
• anything else you would like to share about yourself.

Point form answers are fine and a selfie is also good to include if you are comfortable with sharing a picture. Please send your information to gsu@gsu.ca at your earliest convenience but no later than March 10.

If you have questions about the position, don't hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep.

It's not too late to register and join us at GSU's biennial policy convention in Moose Jaw

This year's convention will be held March 23-25 at the Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa in Moose Jaw. We will cover your wages, meals and travel costs, and assist you with requesting a leave of absence.

Delegate registrations are rolling in and we're excited to see a great group who are ready to represent their peers at convention.

Just this morning we confirmed that Mark Crawford from the Unemployed Workers' Help Centre will be addressing convention delegates. The centre provides information, advocacy, and representation for Employment Insurance claimants throughout Saskatchewan and they are a great resource for anyone struggling with EI issues.

Registration for the GSU convention is currently open to all GSU members.

Registration will close Feb. 28 or sooner in the event all delegate credentials are filled.

If you think you might be interested in attending and you want to learn more, contact your GSU staff rep or send an email to GSUconvention@gsu.ca.

If your manager wants to have a chat with you about something, they absolutely have that right. Depending on the circumstances, you have the right to have a union rep present.

"Members have a right to union representation when the conversation is investigatory, disciplinary or might lead to discipline," said GSU staff rep Donna Driediger. "If you are in a meeting with your manager and it seems like the conversation is lending itself to you being investigated, you are within your rights to ask that the meeting be reconvened once you are able to secure union representation."

Your staff reps are here to ensure your rights are protected through every step of the process.

Getting called into the manager's office and having to meet more people than just your manager can be intimidating. It's easy to either clam up and not speak or to get very defensive. Having your union representative with you can help balance the power in these discussions. Having your representative with you can also help give a voice to the member and ensure that questions being asked are as objective as possible.

If your manager or HR reaches out to you to have a conversation they should remind you that you have the right to have your union representative present. If they do not offer, be sure to inform them that you want one present and that the meeting will have to wait until the representative can be brought in, either in person or via phone.

GSU services are provided to you and paid for by your union dues. There is never an additional charge for assisting you.

Local 1 (Viterra Operations & Maintenance) & Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) committees scheduled to meet March 7 and 8

Bargaining continued Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 with company representatives bringing their full bargaining package (including monetary proposals) to the table.

Upon a thorough review of the company's package, it was clear it's not where members want it to be, there is still work to do, and you can help.

In it's Feb. 2 email update to members, the Local 1 & 2 bargaining committee is urging everyone to start talking.

• Talk to each other about the importance of pay that covers the rising cost of living and pay that recognizes your service and effort.
• Talk to your managers about consistent scheduling, fair notice of shift change and hours of work that won't wear you out.
• Talk to your customers about work/family balance because everyone needs time to be with their friends and family.

These conversations support and reinforce everything your bargaining committee has said during bargaining, and the improvements they are fighting for.

Read your GSU bargaining committee's Feb. 2 - Bargaining Update #9 update here.

Bargaining is scheduled to resume Mar. 7 and 8. 

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) 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).

Local 5 (Western Producer)

GSU has reached out to the employer to resume bargaining. We will provide an update when it occurs.

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

Local 7 (Heartland Livestock Services/Northern Livestock Sales) bargaining - no new dates set

The union bargaining committee consulted with bargaining unit members at a local-wide meeting on Jan. 20.

The Local 7 bargaining committee last met their management counterparts for a third bargaining session on Jan 10. No further dates are currently set to resume bargaining.

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

Updates will be issued directly to members after each bargaining session and as new information is available. Contact Mason@gsu.ca if you are not receiving updates and would like to be added to the list.



Local 16 (Lake Country Co-operative) tentative settlement

A tentative settlement was reached during the first bargaining session on Jan. 31, Feb. 1 and 2. A bargaining update and ratification meeting to vote on the memorandum of agreement is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 15.

GSU’s bargaining committee comprises Ward Tolley, Kara Thevenot and GSU staff representative/bargaining spokesperson Brian Lark. 

Local 18 (Lloydminster & District Cooperative Association) bargaining scheduled in March

The first bargaining session will take place March 28, 29 and 30. At the company's request, bargaining will take place through virtual conferencing.

GSU’s bargaining committee comprises Christina Jones, Trent Herring and GSU staff representative/bargaining spokesperson Brian Lark. 

Options are always available

Whether it's at work or at home, sometimes you just feel trapped. Maybe you've taken on too much (or not enough), maybe you are living your live passively instead of proactively, or perhaps you have simply outgrown your current life.

If you find yourself feeling trapped there are options available. Some of them won't be easy, but there are always options.

As an example, whether you love them or hate them, you have to agree that Harry and Megan made a difficult choice to leave a situation that was not working for them. If we believe outward appearances, their employer valued the institution over the people working in it. That didn't work for the prince and princess, so they made a change.

Whether you are struggling at work, with a group you belong to or you're finding the things that used to interest you no longer hold value in your life, rest assured options are available if you want to see them.

Learn more here:

• Feeling trapped? 15 ways to escape the life you have
• The Royal Family made two mistakes about Prince Harry that too many employers make about employees
• How to break free when you are feeling trapped in your life