Author Archives: Grain and General Services Union

Local 14 (Richardson): New collective agreement signed – available here (pay rates and premiums active; retro pay being calculated)

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Union and company officials have signed the new collective agreement. You can view it under the COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS > RICHARDSON tabs in the navigation menu, above.

New Pay Rates & Premiums: Richardson has confirmed that the new pay rates and premiums are now active in the system, effective June 7. You will see these updates reflected on your upcoming July 2 deposit.  Please review your July 2 pay stub carefully to ensure your rates are correct. If you notice any discrepancies or have immediate questions, please reach out to your local representative.

Retro Pay: The employer is currently calculating retro pay. While there isn’t a set payout date just yet, we will share an update as soon as it is locked in.

Collective Agreement: The new terms of the ratified settlement have been integrated into the collective agreement. GSU will be printing new collective agreement booklets for all Local 14 members. Contact your GSU staff rep if you would like a copy mailed to you.

Participating in the union (without ever having to think about the union itself)

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The Invisible Presence and Strength of GSU

When a workplace has strong, established protections, it is incredibly easy to take them for granted. But there is a catch.

When you walk into your workplace every day, certain things feel standard, like your wage structure, your health benefits, your scheduled breaks, and the protocols keeping you safe and employed. It is easy to assume these things exist simply because the company is ‘one of the good ones.’ The reality is that this consistency is maintained quietly in the background by your union.

You are participating in a unionized ecosystem without ever having to think about the union itself.

GSU doesn’t have physical union offices or staff representatives standing beside members on the shop floor, and there isn’t always an elected officer or shop steward onsite at the workplace. Without these visible reminders that you are in a union shop, the collective agreement and the work behind the scenes keeping the system running becomes invisible.

Your membership is like a high-tech safety shield.

You may not see a strong union presence when things are going smoothly, but it is constantly working to maintain the standard of your daily work life. The collective bargaining agreements, the behind-the-scenes advocacy, and protection baselines did not happen by accident—and they don’t stay active by accident. They require continuous, often quiet maintenance that is most often conducted away from membership view.

The best part of an invisible shield?

It is there the exact moment you need it. Whether you are facing an unfair disciplinary issue, need clarification on your contract rights, or require representation during a workplace dispute, you are never flying solo.

We do the heavy lifting in the background so you can work with peace of mind.

But remember: the shield only stays strong because we stand together to power it.

First GSU 90th Anniversary Commemorative Coins Awarded

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As we celebrate 90 years of solidarity, hard work, and collective strength, we are pleased to announce that we have officially begun awarding our 90th Anniversary Commemorative Coins.

This program was launched to look back at the people who have shaped GSU into the organization it is today. Whether their impact was epic or simply steady and kind, we want to celebrate those who built our union’s legacy. We are incredibly proud to announce our first two very worthy recipients.

Hugh Wagner

A commemorative coin has been awarded to former GSU General Secretary Hugh Wagner. Hugh’s name is synonymous with the very fabric of our union. Upon his retirement, GSU members, officers, and staff shared words that still ring true today:

“We offer our deepest gratitude to Hugh for 48 years of dedication and service. His leadership, guidance, and unwavering commitment to working people have made an immeasurable impact on our organization and province… He has led us through good times and bad, and his unwavering vision has been a constant source of strength.”

Hugh was presented with his coin by GSU President Jim Brown at the recent RWDSU Convention in Humboldt.

(Below: L-r) Hugh Wagner pictured with GSU President Jim Brown at the June 2026 RWDSU Convention in Humboldt, SK.

Rob Ashton

A coin was also awarded to Rob Ashton, former president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Canada. As an affiliate of ILWU Canada, GSU, its officers and staff worked closely with Rob throughout his leadership. Rob has been a steadfast ally, a fierce defender of the labour movement, and a true friend to GSU over the years.

Rob was presented with his coin at the Spring 2026 ILWU Canada convention in Vancouver. 

(Below) Rob Ashton (center) pictured with GSU General Secretary Steve Torgerson on the left and GSU President Jim Brown on the right.

Keep Your Nominations Coming!

Hugh and Rob represent two of many incredible individuals who have built and sustained GSU for nearly a century, and we look forward to honouring others who have left their positive mark on GSU.

Nominees do not need to be current members or officers. It could be the colleague who always explains the collective agreement to new hires, or a member who consistently showed up for their coworkers over the decades.

We are accepting nominations throughout 2026. If you know someone—past or present—who has helped make GSU what it is today, please put your nomination in writing.

Conciliator appointed to assist in Local 9 (Trouw Chilliwack) bargaining impasse

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Following an impasse reached between the union bargaining committee and company representatives on April 21, a conciliator has officially been appointed to help break the deadlock.

A Local 9 membership meeting is being scheduled to take place before official dates with the conciliator are secured.

Member solidarity and involvement is crucial as we move into this next phase.

The current collective agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2025, but all provisions remain in full effect until a new agreement is reached and ratified.

Background information is available here. 

Local 6 (Wild West Steelhead) Members to vote June 10 on Employer’s Final Offer

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Tuesday MEMBERS’ MEMO – June 2, 2026

The democratic process is in full swing for GSU Local 6. On Wednesday, June 10, all Local 6 members will have the opportunity to vote on the employer’s final one-year contract offer.

“Throughout these negotiations, your bargaining committee members Logan, Vishal, and Andrew have brought knowledge, dedication, and strength to the table,” said GSU staff rep and bargaining committee spokesperson Donna Labelle. “They’ve been fully committed to getting the best possible outcome for the members they represent.”

Now, the final decision rests with the members.

Background information on Local 6 bargaining is available here.

Joint Executive Council’s annual report to members

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The 2025/2026 Annual Report to GSU members by the union’s Joint Executive Council is available to be read and downloaded.

The Annual Report contains important information for GSU members about the business of your union, including the 2025 audited financial statements. GSU prides itself on practicing democracy and transparent administration on behalf of the union’s members.

Reports were recently distributed to members during our spring visitations, but anyone wanting a hard copy of the report can call 1.866.522.6686 or send an email request to gsu@gsu.ca.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns about this report, please don’t hesitate to contact a Joint Executive Council member or your GSU staff representative.

Local 14 (Richardson) members vote to accept tentative settlement

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Tuesday MEMBERS’ MEMO – May 26, 2026

Over the last three weeks, Local 14 members across the province stepped forward, made their voices heard, and exercised their democratic right. The membership has voted, and 68% of those who cast a ballot voted in favour of accepting the terms and conditions of the May 5, 2026 tentative settlement with Richardson International.

“This outcome directly reflects your engagement, participation and patience throughout the process,” said GSU staff representative and bargaining committee member Donna Labelle. “Standing together means recognizing that your greatest strength is each other. Because we stood united, we have secured a path forward that brings stability and progress to Local 14.”

The bargaining committee extends a big thank you to every single member who took the time to participate, ask questions, and vote, noting their voice is the backbone of the local.

Thank you to elected bargaining committee members Curtis Shiels (Melville) and Mark Zacharias (Carrot River) for their time and effort. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns as we transition into the new collective agreement, don’t hesitate to reach out directly to your elected officers or your GSU staff representative.

Background: 

On May 5, 2026, the GSU Local 14 bargaining committee reached a tentative settlement with Richardson International Limited. The union’s committee—led by Steve Torgerson (GSU general secretary) and supported by Donna Labelle (GSU staff), Curtis Shiels (Melville), and Mark Zacharias (Carrot River)—reports that good progress was made during these sessions.

While the final decision belongs to the membership, the bargaining committee is recommending acceptance of the tentative agreement. This recommendation comes after a thorough review of the gains achieved during this round of negotiations.

The Local 14 Board of Delegates met recently via Zoom to discuss the memorandum of settlement, ratification meeting dates, and the voting process so they could share that information with the members they represent. The full Memorandum of Settlement was also made available to Local 14 members to review in preparation for a ratification vote that began this week.

Richardson International agreed to GSU staff holding in-person ratification meetings on-site during lunch breaks over a two weeks timeframe. These meetings provide an opportunity for members to review the tentative settlement document in person and ask questions before casting their ballots. All Local 14 members are encouraged to attend their meeting, get informed, and vote.

The REAL cost of your Prime delivery

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In Saskatoon, dozens of delivery drivers for Dragonfly (Amazon’s primary delivery partner) walked off the job on May 8 after learning of yet another pay decrease. 

Drivers remain on the picket line today at the Jasper Avenue warehouse in Saskatoon. They are voicing urgent concerns about deteriorating working conditions and pay dropping from $1.89 to under $1.40 per package. For a driver delivering 200 packages a day, this represents a loss of nearly $100 in daily income, even as their overhead expenses—fuel, maintenance, and insurance—remain the same.

Due to a complex web of subcontracting, their employer claims it isn’t responsible for these drivers. The gig worker designation for these employees is a corporate loophole used to maximize record profits by shifting all operational costs and risks directly onto the workers. Currently, gig workers are usually classified as independent contractors, meaning they are generally excluded from provincial minimum wage, overtime, and benefits protections.

The drivers are fighting to gain the protections a collective agreement provides.

Collective agreements lock in wages so employers cannot cut their employees’ pay on a whim. They also contain language to protect worker’s health and safety at work, unfair discipline or termination, sick leave, vacation and more.

Workers with collective agreements can also negotiate contracting out (and contracting in) language in their agreements to prevent their employers from replacing stable union jobs with exploited vulnerable workers.

GSU is standing with these drivers as they fight for better treatment. You can support them by speaking up!

“Treating human beings as disposable while reporting record-breaking profits is a race to the bottom,” said GSU general secretary Steve Torgerson. “When we protect the most vulnerable workers, we protect the standard of living for everyone.”

The exploitation of workers in our province while corporate profits soar is unacceptable and an affront to Saskatchewan values. Tell the government we need protections for platform workers and gig contractors.

1. Find your MLA: Saskatchewan MLAs

2. Send a message saying you support the Dragonfly delivery drivers and their fight for fairness. 

Sample wording:

Subject: Support for Saskatoon Dragonfly Delivery Drivers

Dear MLA [Name],

I am writing to support the Dragonfly delivery drivers in Saskatoon and Saskatchewan. It is unacceptable that workers face up to 50% pay cuts while delivering packages for a company that has reported record profits of $30 billion in the first quarter of 2026.

I urge you to support labour law reforms that ensure all platform and gig workers in Saskatchewan have fair wages, safety protections, and the right to organize into unions.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Local 1 (Bunge) bargaining preparation underway

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With the collective agreement for GSU’s Local 1 (Bunge Operations & Maintenance) members set to expire on October 31, 2026, their Board of Delegates has begun putting preliminary steps in motion.

2026 Bargaining Committee Election Results

The Board met on April 23 to elect committee members who will represent the interests of Local 1 throughout the renewal process. An unprecedented number of delegates stepped forward for the bargaining committee, which demonstrates the high level of engagement and commitment within the board.

The following representatives have been elected to the committee:

  • David Barrett Sub-Local 1.16 – Swift Current | Operations
  • Wrehn Kaysin Sub-Local 1.3 – Moose Jaw | Operations
  • Broc Goodwin Sub-Local 1.3 – Moose Jaw |Maintenance
  • Dale Lysitza Sub-Local 1.22 – Lloydminster | Customer Account Rep
  • Shannon Antonenko Sub-Local 1.22 – Lloydminster | Sales & Admin

“Congratulations to those elected, and a sincere thank you to every candidate who put their name forward,” said GSU staff representative Jordan Cousins. “The high level of interest and involvement we’re seeing is a powerful start to the bargaining process.”

Next Steps

The board will continue coordinating and organizing their efforts, with the next virtual meeting scheduled for May 21, 2026.

“It is never too early to begin considering potential bargaining proposals,” Cousins noted. “I encourage members to start documenting their ideas now so they are ready for the proposal-gathering phase. You can reach out to me or any member of your bargaining committee directly if you have any questions about proposals or the bargaining process.”

The current collective agreement remains in full effect throughout this process until a new contract is reached and ratified by Local 1 members.

Nominate a GSU contributor for a Commemorative 90th Anniversary Coin

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Ninety years is more than just a milestone; it’s a testament to nearly a century of solidarity, hard work, and the collective strength of the Grain and General Services Union. To celebrate our 90th anniversary, we want to look back at the people who have shaped our union into what it is today.

We are excited to announce the launch of our Commemorative Coin Program, and we need your help to decide who should receive one.

Every Contribution Counts

You don’t need to have led a massive movement to be recognized. We are looking for those who have contributed to GSU in a positive way, regardless of the scale.

Nominees do not need to be current members or officers.

Whether they are active in the workplace today, have retired, or moved on from GSU, we want to recognize anyone who has left a positive mark on GSU over the last nine decades.

Maybe it’s the colleague who always explains the collective agreement to new hires, the member who stood up for a coworker, or someone who has consistently shown up for their fellow members or for GSU over the decades. Whether the impact was epic or simply steady and kind, we want to celebrate those who have built our union’s legacy.

Make a Nomination

If you know someone—past or present—who has helped make GSU the organization what it is today, please put your nomination in writing.

  • Who: Name of the nominee.

  • Why: A short description of why you are nominating them and how they contributed to GSU in a positive way.

    Example 1: Vince welcomed me when I was a new hire and he explained to me why it was good to belong to GSU.

    Example 2: Cheryl was on our bargaining committee twice, and she was great. We got good deals and she kept us all in the loop throughout the process. Without her, I think we would have had a harder time. I really appreciate what she did for us all.

  • Submit: Send us your nomination by email to GSU@gsu.ca or mail it to 2334 McIntyre Street, Regina, SK S4P 2S2.

We are accepting nominations throughout 2026.

Let’s honour the people who make and have made GSU everything it is—a union we are proud of. We are looking forward to seeing who you choose to recognize.

April 14, 2026 is EQUAL PAY DAY in Canada

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equal pay day 2026

Today marks the point in 2026 year that the average Canadian woman must work until to earn what the average man earned by December 31, 2025.

The 3.5-Month Gap

This mid-April date symbolizes that women effectively work an extra 104 days just to “catch up” to their male counterparts. While today is the average, the gap is often even wider for Indigenous women, Black women, and women with disabilities, whose symbolic “Equal Pay Day” won’t arrive until much later in the year.

Fair Pay Through Transparency

One of the most effective ways to close this gap is through union contracts. In unionized workplaces, pay is tied to the job title and qualifications rather than the individual. By using these transparent, negotiated scales, contracts ensure that every worker is paid what the position is worth. This removes personal bias and ensures fair compensation for everyone, regardless of their background or identity.

When we value the work itself and keep pay scales transparent, we move closer to a balance for everyone.

We just printed new collective agreement booklets for Local 4 (Grain Millers) members

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The agreements are printed, delivery has been arranged, and Local 4 members can expect to have a copy of their new collective agreement in their hands within two weeks.

GSU prints its own collective agreement booklets for members. This helps us keep costs down by allowing us to print for large or small groups and print additional booklets throughout the agreement term if necessary. It also gives us the chance to include our new member resource guides to help members interpret and apply the agreement to their specific situations.

It can feel like a long wait from the time a tentative agreement is reached until the finished booklets are actually in your hands. That’s because there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes once a tentative agreement has been reached and bargaining is over.

“We have to take the new terms and blend them into the previous agreement, then make sure both the union and the company agree on the exact wording,” says GSU staff representative Jordan Cousins. “It sounds like it should be quick, but getting that final sign-off can take a while. We generally wait until everything is officially signed before we go to print, but we’ve put out draft versions a few times in the past if the process was taking too long.”

Council meeting focuses on financial sustainability and effective member services

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On March 25, GSU’s governing body—the Joint Executive Council (JEC)—convened in Regina to tackle an ambitious agenda centered on financial sustainability and effective member services. As the union celebrates its 90th anniversary, the Council is focused heavily on the future, including a heavy bargaining schedule, progress of a new member portal, and the continued implementation of the Union365 data management software that launched last autumn.

Financial transparency remained a priority throughout the meeting. The Council members conducted a thorough review of the 2025 audited financial statements and the 2026 draft budget, while having a candid discussion regarding the impact of budget restraints. They noted that staying within the union’s means has required GSU to alter or cancel certain initiatives to maintain fiscal viability. The JEC authorized the release of its annual report, which will be combined with the audited financial statements and shared with members during upcoming spring meetings and visitations.

A pivotal moment of the meeting involved a report from the JEC’s Special Strategic Financial Planning Committee. This report identified existing gaps in GSU services based on current resources and proposed solutions to ensure Locals and members receive the support they deserve and expect. Following a vote on these recommendations, the Council announced it will reconvene on May 28, 2026. This upcoming meeting will focus on further strategy and the preparation of detailed information to be shared directly with the GSU membership.

General Secretary Steve Torgerson noted the positive energy in the room throughout the day. “We had a great mix of experienced and new officers at the table, and the level of discussion and participation was excellent,” Torgerson said. “That engagement is important because this group of officers represents the interests of members in their respective locals. That is the true power of the union—electing the people you trust to represent you and empowering them to take an active role in shaping our future.”

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Speak up on Scheduling!

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While the Company has the right to set the hours and schedules to keep the business running, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a say. As a GSU member, you have the right to speak up and propose a better way of doing things.

GSU staff rep Mason Van Luven is currently helping members navigate these exact situations.

“Don’t assume a schedule is final just because it’s on paper,” Van Luven says. “You can always propose a better setup for you and your coworkers. There are no guarantees, but if you don’t ask, the answer is already ‘no.’ We’re here to help you make your case.”

If your current hours aren’t working, your GSU rep can help by checking your collective agreement for scheduling protections, building a solid proposal for a more flexible shift, and making sure your rights are respected when you talk to management.

As a GSU member, you don’t have to navigate these changes alone. Reach out to your rep to discuss your options.

Members gained practical skills at our Grievance Process Workshop

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On March 5, GSU held an intensive one-day workshop focused on the mechanics of the grievance process. Participants went behind the scenes to master legal research, contract language, and investigation of claims while practicing specific tactics for conducting effective grievance meetings with employers.

This course is a foundational step designed to be reinforced through real-world experience and hands-on grievance handling.

If you are interested in training opportunities, contact your Local or Sub-Local officers to express your interest. Be sure to watch this newsletter and our website for upcoming course listings and registration details.