We were days away from greeting GSU convention delegates in Moose Jaw when we made the difficult decision to cancel our biennial policy convention. The event contract we signed over a year ago was crystal clear: GSU was on the hook for 100 percent of the cost of all guest rooms, food, and meeting spaces. And then …

They didn’t have to do it, but they did.

Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa advised that they would not be charging us for our cancelled event and they would be returning all deposits. How fantastic is that? Thanks to their generosity we will be able to reschedule our event at absolutely no additional cost to GSU and its members.

Thank you, Temple Gardens. We look forward to seeing you when daily life returns to normal.

March 18, 2020

TO: GSU Members

RE:  GSU’s Response to the COVID-19 Crisis

I am writing to update GSU members in relation to steps we are taking to address the rapidly unfolding COVID-19 crisis.

On March 16 GSU representatives wrote to your employers to stress the need for occupational health and safety measures to prevent COVID-19 virus exposure or spread in the workplace.

In addition, since the COVID-19 virus crisis is extraordinary and dynamic GSU is urging employers to address income protection measures for employees who unable to report for work as a result of their own health related concerns and/or child care and family care responsibilities stemming from the COVID-19 virus and related public health directives.

This is a complex societal problem requiring exceptional measures and GSU is willing to work with your employers to ensure that the health and safety of employees and the community are protected.

GSU proposed the following to employers.

1.       Where possible employees should be enabled to work from home without loss of pay or benefits.

2.      Employees whose work cannot be fulfilled remotely should be assured that the maximum workplace health and safety protective measures are in place and are clearly communicated.

3.      Employees who are required to be absent from work as a result of health concerns and/or family care responsibilities should be able to respond to those concerns and responsibilities without loss of pay or benefits and should not be required to provide physicians’ notes.

4.      Employees who are advised not to report for work or are sent home as a result of curtailment or shutdown of operations should not suffer any loss of pay or benefits.

GSU realizes that the response to the COVID-19 virus requires socially responsible and unified actions. GSU also recognizes that employer responses will vary depending on the income protection measures available in each of the collective agreements covering union members. To date we have received a number of written replies from employers. Other employers such as Viterra Inc. and Advance Tank Production Ltd. have followed by phone with their initial responses to the measures and issues raised by GSU. We are compiling, reviewing, and seeking clarification as required to all responses as they will serve as a guide as we assist GSU members.

We will continue to communicate with employer representatives to address employee concerns. Our collective response to this crisis requires trust and we assure you that we will work in good faith with you and your employers.

GSU Office Operations

Until further notice all GSU meetings as well as in-person contacts will be suspended and GSU’s offices will also be closed. All essential GSU office and representation functions will be handled remotely and all staff will be working from home. We will be able to respond to all phone and email inquiries and ask for your patience. If you call or email GSU please include the best way to contact you. Contact information for GSU staff is available on the web page at gsu.ca.

These are extraordinary times and GSU will do its best to inform and support union members and their families. Please watch our web page, your Tuesday Members’ Memos and your email for updates.

Sincerely,

Hugh Wagner  
General Secretary

Congratulations to GSU Local 19 bargaining committee members Devin Lipinski and Steve Torgerson who reached a memorandum of settlement with Prairie Co-op Ltd. on March 13 when the two sides met for bargaining.

“Local 19 members can expect to receive copies of the memorandum and the information on a vote soon,” said GSU bargaining spokesperson Steve Torgerson. “Some allowances will need to be made for the Covid-19 outbreak, but GSU will work with Prairie Co-op management to ensure our members have the opportunity to ask questions and ultimately vote on the proposed deal.”

Questions? Contact GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson

GSU’s goal is to expand on and improve the collective agreement through effective collective bargaining with employers. If you have questions or need assistance with your collective agreement, don’t hesitate to contact us.

You can read GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner’s email to employers, below.

If you have problems or concerns as you are dealing with Covid-19 responses in your workplace, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep. Contact information is available here.

As flu season continues and the world struggles to contain the  COVID-19 virus, there are some simple things you can do to protect your health and the health of those around you.

Wash your hands often with  an alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water

Washing your hands kills viruses that may be on your hands. It’s always a good idea to wash your hands.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

Every time you touch a surface you contaminate your hands. Don’t give germs and viruses an easy passage into your body by touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands. 

Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
When you cough or sneeze, tuck your nose and mouth into a flexed elbow or use a tissue. Immediately throw all tissues away and wash your hands.

The bottom line? Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands

Check out the World Health Organization video above for more information, or visit their website here for more information: WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID19) advice for public
This article has been printed for entertainment purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those of GSU, its members, officers, or staff.

The National Lacrosse League has suspended its season over concerns due to the COVID-19 virus. Learn more here.

Since there is no point in giving away tickets to a game that isn’t being played, we are cancelling our ticket giveaway program until further notice.

Archives:

Source: March 11, 2020 Tuesday Members’ Memo

The Saskatchewan Rush will be ready for action on March 20 when they take on the Georgia Swarm in Saskatoon. If you would like a chance to be one of the chest thumpers in the stands, enter our contest for your chance to win two tickets. 

To be entered for your chance to win, send us your answer the following question:

What is something you loved in childhood but you can’t stand now?

Get your answers in to gsu@gsu.ca by 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 16 and we will enter you in the draw.

Good luck! 

Contest rules are available here.

GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner is working on a grievance submitted by a GSU member who is seeking temporary performance of higher duty pay. 

“Quite often employees are asked to step up and do the work of someone in a higher paid position when that person is away for an extended period of time. The employee in question has been filling in for another employee in a higher paid classification for more than two months and we’re aiming to have the relieving employee’s pay adjusted as provided in the collective agreement,” Wagner said. “This type of case involves an examination of the work the relieving employee is doing during the absence of the person they are replacing.” Wagner advises that this grievance is in its early stages and the next step is a grievance meeting with employer representatives.

GSU helps sort things out.  When there are problems in the workplace there are many factors to consider. A GSU staff rep has access to information and can help gather all the facts and identify whether your rights have been violated.

These services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

In last week’s Tuesday Members’ Memo we asked you to daydream and tell us what would be the first thing you would do with your money if you won $70 million. 

There were touching answers, there were hilarious answers, but ultimately it was Kyle’s answer that we pulled as our winner in the draw.

Congratulations, Kyle. We can’t give you $70 million, but we are happy to hand over two tickets to the March 7 Rush game.

Check back next week when we will be giving away tickets to the Rush’s March 20 game against the Georgia Storm. 

Contest rules are available here.

Have you been accepted into university or tech school? Are you a GSU member, spouse or dependant of a GSU member? If your answer is YES, you are eligible to apply for a GSU scholarship.

GSU is pleased to offer $2,000 scholarships to five students who demonstrate an ability and a passion to inspire positive change in their community.

The scholarship competition is open to GSU members, their spouses, and dependent children who have not previously won.

Learn more and download the forms here.

A member working 13-hour shifts was ill for a number of days. During their time off sick, a statutory holiday occurred and the member’s sick bank was deducted incorrectly, leaving them with less pay. 

After discussions with assistance from GSU, the member’s sick bank was credited appropriately, resulting in time added to the member’s banked time off, as well.

GSU helps sort things out.  When there are problems in the workplace there are many factors to consider. A GSU staff rep has access to information and can help gather all the facts and identify whether your rights have been violated.

These services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

Kaylee Kruger (Local 2 – Viterra) just won two tickets to watch the Rush take on the Toronto Rock this Saturday 

In our Feb. 18 Tuesday Members’ Memo we asked you what you wished would only happen every four years. The overwhelming answers were birthdays and taxes, but it was Kaylee’s entry and her wish for winter every four years that was drawn as our winner. Congratulations, Kaylee!

We have another chance for you to win Rush tickets.

Enter this week’s draw by answering the following question, and you could win two tickets to the Rush’s March 7 home game against the Vancouver Warriors. 

If you won the $70 million LottoMax, what would be the first thing you would do with your money? 

Send your answer to gsu@gsu.ca by 9:00 a.m. March 3  and we’ll enter you in our draw. Good luck!

Contest rules are available here.

General secretary Hugh Wagner is assisting a member whose job title and duties changed as a result of a workplace reorganization. 

“When the employer changes the title of a job or revises the duties in a significant way they are obliged to notify the union. In turn, GSU can advance an argument that the changes should result in a higher salary grade,” Wagner said. “In this instance GSU wasn’t notified until the affected union member raised the subject. We’re now pursuing a review of the job and whether the salary should change.” 

Wagner anticipates a meeting with the employer in the next the next two weeks.

GSU helps sort things out.  When there are problems in the workplace there are may factors to consider. A GSU staff rep has access to information and can help gather all the facts and identify whether your rights have been violated.
These services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

Last week we asked GSU members to enter their fellow members in our Scotties ticket draw. We were happy to see lots of teamwork with members nominating each other and many positive messages about great co-workers who deserved to win tickets to watch the championship games.

In the end, we could only draw three winners. Congratulations to Kevin Roszell (Local 1 – Viterra), Jamie Schultz (Local 14 – Richardson), and Deb Marcischuk (Local 15 – Nutrien). We hope you have a great time taking in all the action in Section P at the Scotties tournament championship playoffs.

• Package 1 – Deb Marcischuk 
  • Draw 18 Friday, Feb. 21 – 12:30 p.m. – Championship Round
  • Draw 19 Friday, Feb. 21 – 6:30 p.m. – Championship Round
• Package 2 – Jamie Schultz
  • Draw 20 Saturday, Feb. 22 – 8:30 a.m. – Tie Breaker
  • Draw 21 Saturday, Feb. 22 – 1:00 p.m. – Page Playoff Game
  • Draw 22 Saturday, Feb. 22 – 6:00 p.m. – Page Playoff Game
• Package 3 – Kevin Roszell
  • Draw 23 Sunday, Feb. 23 – 11:00 a.m. – Semi-Final
  • Draw 24 Sunday, Feb. 23 – 6:00 p.m. – Championship Final.

There are lots of great reasons to attend GSU’s bienniel policy convention, and as an added bonus you will get one of our new clear bags to hold your convention kit.

Ask anyone who has been at a GSU convention and they will tell you the people are friendly, everyone is welcome, the opinion of every delegate matters. The policy convention sets the tone of the union for the next two years, and we need you to join us, tell us about the goals and concerns of workers in your workplace, and let us know what changes you want made in how we represent you and your fellow union members.

Learn more about the convention and how to attend here or talk to your GSU staff rep for more information.

If you haven’t received a confirmation letter from GSU you are NOT registered to attend. Register here.

GSU bursary recipient Sara Meyer was among 50 St. Thomas More College (University of Saskatchewan) students to receive an award at the college’s annual bursary ceremony on Jan. 18.

According to Dr. Carl Still, president of STM College, the ceremony is about recognizing the tremendous potential of the student bursary recipients. 

“Unlocking that potential depends on so many factors, including the generosity of others,” he said. “To the donors, I want to thank you on behalf of all my colleagues at STM. Without you there would be no bursaries to give out, and many qualified students would miss their opportunity at higher education.”

On behalf of the members, officers and staff of Grain and General Services Union, we offer congratulations to Sara and wish her well as she continues her studies.