Author Archives: Grain and General Services Union

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Time off – We’re fielding questions on vacation plans, changes and usage

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The past year has been challenging with COVID restrictions and Mother Nature putting a damper on work. Some members saw their work location switch from office to home, others worked short-staffed when fellow members lost their jobs and many members worked under the looming fear of layoff due to a lack of work. In many cases members were taxed trying to take holidays in 2021 and, as a result, they carried hours forward into 2022.

When groups of employees have large banks of unused time, we start getting calls from members who are feeling pressured to take time off. Circumstances vary from employer insistence that time be used to appeals to help the company get through hard times and encouragement to show your loyalty by using up some time. It’s also not unusual for GSU staff reps to hear concerns from members being asked to use up time off to help reduce the likelihood of job loss resulting from a lack of work.

Your time off needs to be mutually agreed upon

All GSU collective bargaining agreements contain language that specifically references “mutual agreement” in regards to time off. When you submit your plan for time off, the company can accept or reject your proposal. The same is true on the other side. The company can approach you and ask you to take the time off and you have the right to refuse.

Whether you use your time off to go sightseeing, camping, help out with harvest or take a sunny winter vacation, you have the right to take time off at a time when it works for you. If you are having problems exercising this right or you have questions or concerns regarding your vacation time off usage or any other workplace issue, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep. We are always willing to help.

Our services are provided to you as part of your union dues and their is never an additional charge for assisting you. Contact information for GSU staff representatives is available on our web page at gsu.ca.

Hey GSU members! Enter our contest and you could win two tickets to the March 19 RUSH game

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Did you read our March 8 Tuesday Members’ Memo? If not, you missed hearing about our contest where you could win two tickets to watch the Saskatchewan Rush take on the Rochester Knighthawks in Saskatoon on March 19.

To enter our contest draw, send us your answer to the following question:

  • If you owned your own sports team, what sport would they play and what would your team name be?

Get your answer to us at gsu@gsu.ca by 12:00 noon on March 14 to be entered to win.

Contest rules available here.   

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March 8 is International Women’s Day

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Why is International Women’s Day important?

Because 72 countries won’t allow women to open bank accounts.

Because more than 250 million women alive today were married before their 15th birthday (many against their will).

Because there are fewer women in leadership positions in the USA than there are men named John.

Celebrate women’s achievement.
Raise awareness against bias.
Take action for equality.
#breakthebias

GSU MEMBERSHIP SURVEY: Thank you to everyone who completed our survey

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Our survey is now closed. Watch for the announcement of our survey prize winner in our March 8 Tuesday Members’ Memo.

 

GSU just sent a survey to every member. Now we need your input.

We have come through a tumultuous couple of years which have shone light directly on what works well and what hasn’t worked at all. The value of personal interactions and connections has been confirmed, and we have learned that there are a number of different ways to accomplish the same thing.

As we squeeze out of COVID’s grip, we don’t want to slip back into doing what we have always done simply because it’s familiar. Instead, we are throwing the door wide open, listening closely to what members say is best for them, and preparing to act on it.

This is where you come in.

We have sent a general survey to every GSU member in our database contact list. (If you didn’t receive it, or if you have misplaced it, you can access it here.)

This survey is the beginning of a post-COVID refresh aimed to reflect, review, and improve how we serve you and your fellow GSU members post-COVID. We’re asking you about a wide range of topics including education, member engagement, and communication, and your reply is strictly confidential – meaning none of your information will be shared with your employer.

Your input is important. Tell us what you are thinking, and don’t hold back.

Good or bad, we want to hear from you.

The survey will be open until noon on March 4, so make sure you respond at your convenience and urge your fellow GSU members to respond, too.

As a thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts, you have the option of entering our draw to win one of three prizes.

To enter the draw, we will need you to provide the necessary contact information at the end of the survey after selecting which of the prizes you would like to enter to win. The lucky winner of our random draw will be contacted after the survey closes. If you don’t want to enter the draw – or you would prefer your thoughts remain completely anonymous – simply leave the contact information section blank.

Any questions or complications with completing the survey can be directed to staff rep Mason Van Luven by phone or by email (306.552.7987 or Mason@gsu.ca).

Access the survey here: GSU Spring 2022 Survey

Modest increases to Viterra salary ranges

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As a result of a market review and a letter of understanding between the company and GSU, the minimums and maximums of most Viterra in-scope salary ranges will rise effective Jan. 1, 2022.

According to GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner, generally speaking, the increases to the pay ranges will be a very modest 1.5 percent and will not have a dramatic impact on the wages of most union members.

“The changes to salary range minimums and maximums should not be confused with the 2.5 percent aggregate salary increase that will also be applied retroactively to January 1 and is linked to employees’ annual performance evaluations,” Wagner said. “These increases are potentially more meaningful, but are also too low when compared to the rising cost of living.”

On Feb. 23, Wagner wrote to Viterra on the subject of wages and said,

“GSU does not object to raising the minimums and maximums of the salary ranges as proposed. However, we do argue that the salary ranges and employee’s individual rates of pay should be adjusted upwards significantly in light of the changing labour market and price inflation.”

He went on to say,

“We also continue to express the dissatisfaction of the union’s members in relation to the design and administration of the pay system, including unfairness in the application of annual salary increases.”

GSU members in Locals 1 (Viterra – Ops/Maintenance) and 2 (Viterra Head Office) will have an opportunity to tackle the subject of wage increases later this year when bargaining commences to amend and renew their collective agreements with Viterra. The current collective agreements expire on Oct. 31, 2022.

“Bargaining this coming fall will provide union members with an excellent opportunity to change the whole system of pay and wage increases into something that is much fairer, transparent and equitable,” Wagner said.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Standby Pay – You deserve to be paid for the hours that you work

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As workers, we trade our skill and time for money.

When your scheduled shift is over, your obligation to continue working for the company stops, and the obligation of the company to pay you stops as well. However, in the grain industry the car spot dates fluctuate, and companies expect their employees to be flexible on those hours.

In 2019, the federal government implemented changes that stated employers needed to give 24-hours notice of a shift change. Grain companies lobbied that they are not able to abide by these rules, and they received an exemption from the shift change rules (and others). This means they do not have to give you 24-hours notice of a change in your shift.

Standby Pay is part of your collective agreement, and receiving it when you are on standby is your right.

Since the Feb. 2022 implementation above, GSU staff representatives have been fielding calls from members who are tryin to understand their right to receive standby pay during the times they are expected by the employer to be available and willing to come to work.

Simply put, when you are on stand-by, you are in a state of constant readiness to go into the office or be prepared to answer phone or emails as they come in. And when you have been directed to be ready and available for work, you deserve to be paid.

If you are struggling with standby pay at your location, or if you have questions or want to know more, reach out to your GSU staff representative. We would be glad to help.

No question is too big or small. GSU staff reps are here to assist you.

It’s easiest to solve problems in the beginning when they are small, so don’t hesitate to contact us when you see something that might need to be addressed. We will answer your questions and assist you in any way we can, and we won’t contact your employer, file a grievance or act on your behalf without consultation, direction, and approval from you.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: GSU members are asking us for information on pension and retirement

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The unseasonably cold weather seems to have everyone wishing they could stay home. That may explain why GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson has had a rush of pension and retirement inquiries cross his desk.

Torgerson can answer your questions, such as who needs to contacted when a member is considering retirement, what options are available to retiring members, and where to begin when everything seems so overwhelming. If you are considering retirement or simply planning for the future, don’t hesitate to contact Steve and ask for our retirement guidebook. It’s free, and it will lead you through the process and help you keep everything straight.

Need an answer? No question is too big or small. GSU staff reps are here to assist you, and their services are provided to you and paid for by your union dues. There is never an additional charge for assisting you.

Contact information for GSU staff is available here.

We’re accepting applications to become a GSU Defense Fund director

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We are accepting expressions of interest from GSU members who are interested in becoming a director on the GSU Defense Fund.

The board of directors of the GSU Defense Fund is responsible for overseeing the administration and investment of the Fund assets (currently $5+ million). The primary purpose of the Fund is to provide income protection and assistance to GSU members who are engaged in a strike or lockout.

The board of directors meets three times a year by conference call and at least once per year in person. Time off work for directors to attend to Defense Fund business is paid for by GSU along with directors’ travel, meal and hotel expenses.

Members who are elected to the Joint Executive Council of GSU are not eligible for election to the Defense Fund Board of Directors. Of the five Defense Fund Directors, three are required to be from Local 1 (Viterra Ops/Maintenance) and/or Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) and/or Local 14 (Richardson) and/or Local 15 (Nutrien).

The current vacancy on the board is open to be filled by a GSU member in good standing who is employed in any certified GSU bargaining unit.

If you are interested in becoming a GSU Defense Fund director or learning more about the responsibilities of a director, contact GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner at Hugh@gsu.ca or 306.536.3414.

When you need someone to talk to, we’re here.

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GSU is listening and here to help.

If you have questions about workplace issues or external problems that are affecting your work, don’t hesitate to reach out to your GSU staff rep. Our services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

Contact our reps directly (contact information here) or by calling toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 in Regina or 1.855.384.7314 in Saskatoon.

GSU members vote to continue Defense Fund dues

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A majority of 72.81 percent of members voting at GSU annual meetings have voted to approve a motion to continue the additional dues being paid into the GSU Defense Fund for another year. Votes on the additional dues were conducted in conjunction with annual union Local and Sub-local meetings held this fall.

Each employee working in a GSU bargaining unit pays additional dues of one percent of regular pay to a maximum of $10 per month into the GSU Defense Fund. The additional union dues are accumulated in the GSU Defense Fund where they are invested and held in reserve to pay strike/lockout pay, benefits continuation and strike/lockout administrative expenses in the event GSU members are engaged in a strike or lockout stemming from a collective bargaining dispute.

Strike or lockout pay from the GSU Defense Fund is currently set at 75 percent of a member’s regular pay provided they are active participants in strike or lockout actions sanctioned by GSU.

The Defense Fund currently has assets of $5.4 million (market value) and is administered by a board of directors elected by delegates to GSU biennial policy conventions. The current directors of the GSU Defenses Fund are:

  • Wilfred Harris (Local 1 Carnduff),
  • Doug Kampman (Local 8 Regina),
  • Sharlene Lark (Local 5 Saskatoon),
  • Lynn Shaw (Local 15 Craik), and
  • Bruce Thompson (Local 15 Fielding).

The membership vote conducted this fall marks the 25th consecutive year that a majority of GSU members attending annual union meetings have voted to approve the additional dues being paid into the Defense Fund.

If you have questions or concerns about the GSU Defense Fund, contact your staff representative.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Verifying pay stubs

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Staff representative Steve Torgerson is assisting a GSU member who is struggling to receive the correct pay for hours they worked this autumn.

“Payroll systems are complex,” said Torgerson. “By attempting to reduce human error and maximize efficiency using automated programs, the factors of human assessment and reasoning have been eliminated. For this particular GSU member, the reduction of human interaction in the payroll process is creating problems when the payroll program’s strict automated triggers are applied.”

Fortunately, the member had maintained thorough records of their time at work.

“Members should independently track their hours and compare them to the company’s recorded hours and then again when they get their pay stubs,” Torgerson advises. “Pay close attention and be aware of your hours, overtime and double overtime, any shift premiums, sick leave and vacations. Write it all down.”

If you have any questions or require clarification, don’t hesitate to reach out to a GSU staff rep.

Our services are provided to you as part of your union dues and there is never an additional charge for assisting you. Contact information for GSU staff representatives is available on our web page at gsu.ca.

Car loading continues to cause problems for terminal elevator employees

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Being constantly expected by your employer to adapt and adjust schedules at the last moment is all too common for GSU members working for Viterra and Richardson. Fortunately, there are tools that can help push back against unreasonable expectations, create a better work/family balance, and ensure that GSU members and their coworkers are safe at work.

If you are a member of Local 1 (Viterra Operations) or Local 14 (Richardson), check out these lists of car loading options, plans, and tools:

If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff representative.