Author Archives: Grain and General Services Union

Oct. 20 is International Pronoun Day

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What is more important: How you see someone or respecting how they see themselves?

The third Wednesday of October is International Pronoun Day, and it’s an opportunity to consider how we use personal pronouns.

A personal pronoun refers to a person. Other than our names, personal pronouns are one of the main ways we identify and address people. The personal pronouns we often hear are she, her, hers, he, him, and his. It’s 2021, and in order to be a more inclusive society, they way we use personal pronouns is changing.

The way people look on the outside isn’t necessarily how they identify on the inside. And just like it’s hurtful to be repeatedly called by the wrong name or a nickname you don’t like or appreciate, it’s hurtful to be called by the wrong pronouns.

It may make you feel uncomfortable or awkward to address people with the pronouns they use, and that’s okay. For many people this is a new conversation and that can make us feel uneasy. Let’s listen, learn, and work toward an environment where everyone feels safe and included.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: We think a double penalty constitutes a violation of employee’s rights

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We’re arguing that an employer action constitutes a double penalty, and that violates the employee’s rights

Preparations are underway for the arbitration of a GSU member’s grievance in response to being penalized when 2021 annual wage increases were distributed by Viterra. The arbitration will take place on Nov. 16 and 17.

In this instance the grievor received a written reprimand for an alleged mistake in procedure in 2020. The reprimand was grieved but not taken to arbitration. However, the grievor was dinged again when their performance was evaluated for the purposes of determining the 2021 wage increase. The grievor and GSU are arguing that Viterra’s actions constitute a double penalty in violation of the employee’s rights.

As mentioned, this matter will be heard by the arbitrator on Nov. 16 and 17. Following the hearing the arbitrator will weigh the evidence and arguments in reaching a decision whether to uphold or reject the grievance. GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner will act as counsel for the union.

The arbitrator’s decision will be reported here when it is received.

If you need some advice about how to approach management with a problem, don’t hesitate to call your GSU staff rep. No problem is too small and sometimes a brief comment, email, or meeting is all that’s needed to address a situation. Call us when you think there is a problem to be fixed.

GSU’s new staff representatives have reported for work

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(L-r) GSU staff representatives Mason Van Luven, Brian Lark, and Steve Torgerson.

Brian and Mason were in GSU’s Regina office bright and early Oct. 12 after enjoying the Thanksgiving long weekend. They will spend the week learning about the union membership structure, loading up their computers, familiarizing themselves with office processes and the duties they will be performing as GSU’s newest staff reps.

Staff rep Steve Torgerson has been charged with mentoring Brian and Mason. You can reach GSU staff reps or any staff member by using their first name in front of @gsu.ca. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Complete contact information for all GSU staff members is available clicking Contact Us on the menu bar above. 

Three new directors elected to GSU Defense Fund

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Sharlene Lark (Local 5 – Western Producer), Bruce Thompson (Local 15 – Nutrien) and Lynn Shaw (Local 15 – Nutrien) were elected to the board of directors of the GSU Defense Fund by the Sept. 24 meeting of the union’s Joint Executive Council. They join Wilfred Harris (Local 1 – Viterra) and Doug Kampman (Local 8 – Advance).

The GSU Defense Fund is administered by an elected five-person board of directors. The directors are elected by delegates to GSU policy conventions. Between policy conventions, GSU’s Joint Executive Council elects directors to fill vacancies.

The market value of the Fund is currently estimated to be $5.3 million. With the exception of cash on deposit at Affinity Credit Union, all of the Fund’s investments are held with RBC Dominion Securities.

The Fund is invested conservatively with the primary objective being preservation of the principal while earning a positive rate of return.

The primary purpose of the GSU Defense Fund is to provide strike or lockout pay and benefits to GSU members. Subject to approval by the board of directors, financial resources from the Defense Fund can be deployed for purposes such as defending the union, keeping the union operational, or the legal costs of defending members’ collective bargaining and other collective rights.

The Fund’s finances are audited each year along with the independent annual financial audit of GSU.

Learn more about the GSU Defense Fund here.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Our first National Truth and Reconciliation Day and our plans going forward

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Sept. 30 was historic as we recognized our first Day for Truth and Reconciliation in our province and across Canada. It was a day for somber reflection as we honoured the victims and survivors of residential schools and considered how that legacy has affected Indigenous communities.

As part of our Sept. 30 reflections, GSU staff considered how GSU has participated in the truth and reconciliation process, and what we can do going forward.

Some of our plans for 2021 – such as holding the blanket exercise at the March 2021 GSU biennial policy convention and distributing orange shirts at the Sept. 24 Joint Executive Council meeting – were thwarted by COVID and the cancellation of scheduled in-person gatherings. We have been successful in beginning to incorporate land acknowledgements into GSU gatherings and we have encouraged member participation in the Truth and Reconciliation process by sharing information and links in several of our Tuesday Members’ Memo communications. GSU has also encouraged members and officers to attend training at the Canadian Labour Congress/Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s annual Spring School, where a course on Turtle Island is a popular option.

We will continue working toward increased participation and education in the remainder of the year and the coming new year.

If you have suggestions or would like to be considered for GSU or labour-sponsored training opportunities that include truth and reconciliation education, contact Steve Torgerson at GSU’s Regina office.

If you need some advice about how to approach management with a problem, don’t hesitate to call your GSU staff rep. No problem is too small and sometimes a brief comment, email, or meeting is all that’s needed to address a situation. Call us when you think there is a problem to be fixed.

GSU’s Joint Executive Council (JEC) gather via Zoom for their autumn semi-annual meeting

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The union’s governing body originally planned to meet in person in Regina, but COVID’s fourth wave necessitated a last-minute switch to an online gathering.

The meeting agenda included a review of the minutes and directions from the 2021 GSU policy convention, reports on current administrative issues and union finances, recommendations from the staff representative recruitment committee (see top story, above) and adoption of the general secretary’s autumn report to union members.

The JEC meeting also approved conducting a membership vote on the annual resolution to continue the additional membership dues being paid into the GSU Defense Fund.

Sheila Tran (Local 2 – Viterra head office) was elected as a GSU vice president to replace Curtis Cousins (Local 15 – Nutrien) who stepped down in the aftermath of his job with Nutrien being eliminated.

“On behalf of the member of the Joint Executive Council, I want to extend thanks to Curtis for his service and for being willing to serve the members of GSU. We wish him well in his next chapter,” said GSU president Jim Brown. “At the same time, we are pleased to welcome Sheila to GSU’s executive committee and thank her for stepping forward to take on a new role.”

The JEC also elected three members to vacant seats on the board of directors of the GSU Defense Fund. A separate article on this subject will be carried in the next Tuesday Members’ Memo.

The meeting ended with a discussion of 2021 annual meetings this fall and whether the format would be in-person meetings, virtual meetings or a combination of the two. Ultimately it was decided that each Local and Sub-Local would have to make the decision that best suits their circumstances.

Learn more about the union’s governing body – the Joint Executive Council – here.

If you are interested in representing GSU members by becoming a JEC member, considering running for office at our upcoming membership meetings.
Contact Steve at the GSU office to learn more.

Joint Executive Council announces hiring of two staff representatives

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On Oct. 12, two new staff representatives will be joining the GSU staff.

The Sept. 24, 2021 meeting of GSU’s Joint Executive Council (JEC) unanimously approved the hiring of Brian Lark into the position of staff representative working out of the Saskatoon office.

Brian became a member of GSU in 2005 when he joined the country operations workforce of Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. His career continued with Viterra where he has held a series of increasingly responsible positions. Most recently, Brian was the terminal operations manager at Viterra’s facility in Raymore. Prior to taking his first terminal operations manager position with Viterra, Brian was active in GSU and served as a Local 1 (Viterra) delegate for a number of years.

In a move to further bolster GSU’s team, the Sept. 24 meeting of the JEC also unanimously approved the hiring of Mason Van Luven into a term staff representative position based in Regina for 18 months.

Mason is a graduate of the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Arts (honours) degree in political science. He has an impressive resume, including work for community non-governmental organizations and international aid organizations.

“We are very happy with the choice of Brian Lark to fill the vacancy in GSU’s Saskatoon office and we look forward to working with him in serving members of the union,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “We are also very happy to welcome Mason to the GSU team and look forward to working with him in serving members of the union.”

Lark and Van Luven will begin their duties with GSU on October 12 and are looking forward to their roles with GSU.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Questions from a GSU member who is preparing for retirement

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Staff representative Steve Torgerson assisted a member with questions about the many options and preparation that needed to be considered prior to their anticipated 2022 retirement.

 In addition to offering guidance and answering questions, Torgerson provided the member with a retirement guide.

 If you need some advice about how to approach management with a problem, don’t hesitate to call your GSU staff rep. No problem is too small and sometimes a brief comment, email, or meeting is all that’s needed to address a situation. Call us when you think there is a problem to be fixed.

GSU’s annual membership meetings are just around the corner

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As often and as safely as possible, we will to return to in-person annual meetings and use Zoom and other online meeting platforms when in-person attendance is not desirable. The current surge in COVID cases in Saskatchewan will inevitably throw curves at our plans, but we will adapt.

Annual Local meetings are an excellent opportunity for GSU members to raise issues that require attention and to have a say on the administration of their union and to vote matters – such as continuation of dues being paid into the GSU Defense Fund, election of officers, and amendments to the union’s bylaws and constitution.

“We do our best to make GSU meetings as user friendly as possible and we focus on completing meetings in a timely fashion”, said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “I hope everyone is able to attend and reconnect after the long interruption of the COVID pandemic.”

GSU staff representative selection committee to report to Joint Executive Council

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Sept. 14, 2021

GSU selection committee to report to Joint Executive Council

The committee responsible for managing the process for recruitment of a GSU staff representative will report to the semi-annual meeting on of the Joint Executive Council (JEC) on September 24.

“A good number of applications were received and six interviews have been conducted,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “The high quality of the applicants makes the committee’s job difficult, and that’s a good problem to have.”

Wagner reports that the selection committee expects to make a hiring recommendation to the JEC on September 24. The JEC’s decision will be announced on Sept. 28.

Sept. 9, 2021

Job interviews with applicants for GSU’s vacant staff representative position will be held Sept. 9 and 10

“A good selection of applications was received and the job of vetting candidates begins,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “The hiring committee comprises GSU president Jim Brown, vice presidents Michelle Houlden and Curtis Cousins, staff representative Steve Torgerson, and me.”

Once the selection process is completed and a new representative is hired, the individual will be based in Saskatoon. A hiring recommendation must be presented to GSU’s Joint Executive Council (board of directors) for approval. The next meeting of the Joint Executive Council is scheduled for Sept. 24.

An announcement stemming from the hiring process will be made following the Sept. 24 meeting of GSU’s Joint Executive Council.

 

GSU Staff Representative

The Joint Executive Council of Grain and General Services Union (ILWU Canada) has approved advertising a staff representative vacancy in the union’s Saskatoon office. The objective is to fill the position by early autumn 2021. A copy of the job description for the GSU staff representative classification can be viewed or printed here or by using the link below. 

GSU staff reps are unionized and are covered by the terms of the collective agreement between GSU and the Independent Union Services Union (IUSU). The salary range for staff reps is $7239 to $8847 per month. Competitive benefits and working conditions are provided via the GSU/IUSU collective agreement.

Interested candidates are asked to submit their applications and resumes to GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner at gsu@gsu.ca.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Monday, August 30, 2021.

Following the close of the applications period, a recruitment committee approved by GSU’s Joint Executive Council (JEC) will conduct interviews with selected candidates. The recruitment committee is charged with the responsibility of making a hiring recommendation to the JEC.

Related:

Congratulations to Brandon Allin – our winner of two tickets to the Riders v. Argonauts game on Sept. 17

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The draw is complete and GSU Local 4 (Grain Millers) member Brandon Allin has two tickets to the game. Congratulations, Brandon!

Watch our Tuesday Members’ Memo  for your next chance to win.

We hope the Riders will be fresh off a Banjo Bowl win when they return to take on the Toronto Argonauts on Sept. 17, and we have two tickets to give away to one lucky GSU member for the Friday night game.

If you are a GSU member, you can enter our draw by sending us your answer to the following question:

What is your favourite thing about autumn?

Email your answer to gsu@gsu.ca by noon on Sept. 10, and you will be entered in our draw for a GSU clear bag and two tickets to the Sept. 17 game.

Good luck!

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Be mindful when using a company vehicle

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If you are driving a company vehicle, you can and should expect to be held accountable for your usage. And if the company needs to use it against you, they will.

GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson is assisting a member who is being questioned on their use of a company vehicle.

“When companies have GPS on a vehicle, it’s very thorough,” Torgerson cautioned. “It can record your path, speed, length, and the duration of any stop you make and more, so use the company vehicle only for company business and don’t be surprised if you are questioned on any detour you take.”

Long story short: If you don’t have the permission of your superior to go somewhere, don’t go.

If you have questions or concerns about driving a company vehicle or other employment concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.

If you need some advice about how to approach management with a problem, don’t hesitate to call your GSU staff rep. No problem is too small and sometimes a brief comment, email, or meeting is all that’s needed to address a situation. Call us when you think there is a problem to be fixed.

Congratulations to GSU Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) member Greg Euteneier – winner of four tickets to the Labour Day Classic

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Our latest contest gave GSU members a chance to win four adjoining seats for the Rider’s Sept. 5 game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, with the contest winner getting two seats and nominating a fellow GSU member who would win the remaining two seats. Greg was agonizing over several co-workers in his contest entry, and now that he’s won he’s making a tough call on who we send the extra set of tickets to. Good luck, Greg. On the bright side, it’s great that you are surrounded by co-workers you think so highly of.

Thanks to everyone who played along. We’ve got tickets to the upcoming Sept. 17 game, so watch for another ticket contest and your chance to enter, soon.

Archives:

Aug. 24, 2021

We’re giving away four tickets to the Riders v. Blue Bombers Labour Day Classic

We have in our hot little hands four adjoining seats for the Rider’s highly anticipated Sept. 5 game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. We’re going to help keep your personal bubble as small as possible by asking you to choose who will be in the two seats beside you at the game.

If you could take a fellow GSU member to the Labour Day Classic, who would they be, and why would you choose to take them?

Get your entry to us at gsu@gsu.ca by noon on Aug. 27. We will draw one winner to receive two Labour Day tickets and we’ll send two tickets to the GSU member they have named.

Good luck!

Contest details are available here.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: GSU members, COVID-19, and mandatory vaccinations

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As the Delta variant has become the predominant strain of the COVID-19 pandemic, the debate about vaccination has shifted. It is now pretty clear that proof of two-shot vaccination is starting to be adopted in various places and jurisdictions as a precondition to engaging in a growing list of activities. This is no less the case in workplaces, particularly those falling under federal jurisdiction, as large employers such as Canada’s major banks have announced workplace entry vaccination policies applicable to their employees.

“I fully expect the vaccination issue to come up in relation to workers represented by GSU; especially since about 60 percent of members of the union fall under federal jurisdiction,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “We are consulting with GSU’s legal counsel and monitoring the evolving debate.”

Wagner reports that a preliminary meeting on vaccination policy has already been set with one major employer. He adds that when GSU’s Joint Executive Council (board of directors) meets on Sept. 24 it will likely discuss whether the union should have a policy on vaccination and the workplace.

“Even if GSU adopts an overall policy, each bargaining unit of the union has significant autonomy to determine their own position on workplace issues in their Local, including the response to mandatory two-shot vaccination as a pre-condition to going to work,” Wagner said. “Add the duty of fair representation to the equation and the issue becomes even more complex.”

More reports and coverage of this issue will be carried her and on GSU’s web page as the situation unfolds.

If you need some advice about how to approach management with a problem, don’t hesitate to call your GSU staff rep. No problem is too small and sometimes a brief comment, email, or meeting is all that’s needed to address a situation. Call us when you think there is a problem to be fixed.