Regardless of the employer or the season, GSU staff representatives consistently handle calls from members who are stressed about receiving work-related calls during their time off, vacations, or sick leave.

In response, our representatives offer a straightforward piece of advice: if you’re not at work, on call or on standby, don’t answer the phone.

“You are not obligated to take or reply to calls when you are sick, enjoying your personal time away from work and not actively working for the company,” said GSU staff representative Mason Van Luven. “This fundamental principle is reinforced by collective agreements, empowering our members to maintain a healthy work-life balance and assert their right to uninterrupted time away from work obligations.”

Van Luven advises “Members need to use the latitude their collective agreement offers. If you don’t use it, you leave the door open for management not to respect it.”

GSU staff representatives work with you to find answers to your questions, recommend what course of action is best to follow, and find the solutions that work for you. Contacting GSU does not mean you are obligated to file a grievance. We are here to assist you in any way that we can, but we will not contact your employer, file a grievance or act on your behalf without consultation, direction and approval from you.

Canadian unions are welcoming the federal government’s introduction of Bill C-58, legislation to ban the use of replacement workers. This legislation will curtail the use of replacement workers in any federally-regulated industry during strikes or lockouts.

Free and fair collective bargaining without the threat of replacement workers taking striking workers’ jobs is the best way to reach good collective agreements and maintain stable workplaces. Eliminating the option of using replacement workers also discourages practices that exploit non-unionized workers who are desperate for employment.

Steve Torgerson’s responsibilities have undergone a significant shift since he assumed the role of GSU’s general secretary at the union’s March 2023 biennial policy convention. The general secretary role doesn’t encompass the day-to-day servicing responsibilities of a GSU staff representative and the vacancy created when Torgerson left his staff rep role to accept his new position will not be filled in the foreseeable future. This has led to additional responsibilities and servicing adjustments for Donna Driediger, Brian Lark and Mason Van Luven – GSU’s three remaining staff representatives.

As a result of these changes, GSU members who call the office or attend their upcoming annual general meetings may be greeted by a different staff representative than they are accustomed to working with.

“We are always looking for ways to adapt, improve and ensure that members continue to receive the highest level of representation and support possible,” Torgerson said. “This shifting of responsibilities has been a necessary and gradual process that began over the summer months. We expect that the changes will be complete and our staff representatives will be settled in their new locals and sub-locals by the end of the year.”

By GSU staff representative Mason Van Luven

There is often a misconception that “severance pay” is a condition of employment or labour law when a worker’s position is eliminated, their plant is closed, or the company would otherwise like to part ways. That workers are rewarded for their years of service and that transition into unemployment is softened by a severance package. However, we negotiate for strong language and standards when it comes to severance pay as without this language, the rights afforded to workers is minimal, and this is often one of the most overlooked advantages of a collective agreement.

Under the Saskatchewan Employment Act, an individual worker is entitled to either notice or pay instead of notice, which is a sliding scale depending on your years of service. This scale caps out at 10 years of service, where an individual worker gets eight-weeks notice or pay instead of notice, calculated at what a worker’s regular earnings are during a normal eight-week period. They are also given their unused time off entitlements, like their vacation. Other jurisdictions, though still limited, will throw in a number of days pay for each year of service as an added entitlement. After that, the worker is expected to get another job or hopefully have enough to retire.

This is why collective agreements do more than negotiate wage increases to service the immediate material needs of workers, and one of the most overlooked features of collective agreements is language around position eliminations. We negotiate strong position elimination language because in the event that a company decides a certain position is no longer necessary, a plant closes down, or a whole group of workers are left without work, the bare minimum requirements under provincial labour law is insufficient. Workers should have dignity for all the reasons a company might decide that their contributions as a worker are not needed or valued anymore. At the very least, they should get enough recognition for their years of service that they can pay the bills before finding another job.

Sometimes companies will calculate severance as though they do not have a contractual obligation to do so – that their generosity is why a worker sees a payout. Trade unions had to negotiate hard with employers to get the standards around position eliminations above labour legislation, because historically once a company no longer needed a worker or a factory, there was no net to catch those workers. This created an imbalance where a worker had to work to make ends meet up until their employer did not need them anymore. This meant that a worker had an obligation to their employer, but not the other way around.

Read your contract’s language on position elimination (and, for your own education, compare it to the relevant labor legislation). If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep.

Today at noon in Regina some members and staff of GSU attended a rally at the Legislature challenging the provincial governments recent announcement to use the not withstanding clause to push their pronoun law.

First, here’s a quick recap of what lead to today.

It started at the end of the last school year about appropriate sexual education content for students. This led to an announcement that the government was seeking new rules requiring students under 16 years of age to need parental consent before changing their pronouns in school.

This was challenged at Court of King’s bench and the judge issued an injunction pausing the new law from coming into effect until the court can hear the entire case.

Almost immediately following this decision, the Saskatchewan provincial government indicated they would recall the legislature and would use the Charter of Rights and Freedoms notwithstanding clause to force the law into effect.

Here is some information about this issue that we think GSU members need to consider.

What’s a pronoun?

You may be unfamiliar with the word “pronoun,” but you use them all the time. Pronouns are used in place of a proper noun (like someone’s name). We use pronouns most often when referring to someone without using their name.

 Example: Have you heard from Tom? He hasn’t texted me back all day. He is the pronoun.

 Why does it matter?

In English, our most commonly used pronouns (he/she) specifically refer to a person’s gender. For queer, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and transgender people, these pronouns may not fit, can create discomfort, and can cause stress and anxiety.

 A recent study showed that in transgender youth, using correct pronouns and names reduces depression and suicide risks.

“Researchers interviewed transgender youths ages 15 to 21 and asked whether young people could use their chosen name at school, home, work and with friends. Compared with peers who could not use their chosen name in any context, young people who could use their name in all four areas experienced 71 percent fewer symptoms of severe depression, a 34 percent decrease in reported thoughts of suicide and a 65 percent decrease in suicidal attempts.

Earlier research by Russell found that transgender youths report having suicidal thoughts at nearly twice the rate of their peers, with about 1 out of 3 transgender youths reporting considering suicide. In the new study, having even one context in which a chosen name could be used was associated with a 29 percent decrease in suicidal thoughts. The researchers controlled for personal characteristics and social support.

“I’ve been doing research on LGBT youth for almost 20 years now, and even I was surprised by how clear that link was,” Russell said.”

Having trouble understanding why this would upset someone? Think about your pronoun (it’s probably “he” or “she”). Now imagine someone calling you the one you don’t think of yourself as. Imagine them doing it over and over and over, even after you’ve corrected them.

Notwithstanding Clause

The notwithstanding clause in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, also known as Section 33, allows provincial or federal governments in Canada to temporarily override certain rights and freedoms protected by the Charter. While it serves as a unique and sometimes controversial feature of Canada’s constitutional framework, it has generated various concerns and criticisms over the years. Here are some of the problems and criticisms associated with the notwithstanding clause.

One of the most significant concerns is that the notwithstanding clause can be used by governments to limit or suspend fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Charter. Critics argue that this undermines the very purpose of having a Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Some worry that governments may use the notwithstanding clause too liberally, potentially infringing on rights without sufficient justification. This could lead to a situation where rights are routinely violated without proper accountability.

There is a concern that governments may invoke the notwithstanding clause for political reasons rather than to address pressing issues or emergencies. This could be seen as a way to pander to specific interest groups or curry favor with certain constituencies.

Diminished Protections: When the notwithstanding clause is used, it essentially renders certain Charter rights temporarily ineffective. This can leave individuals without the full protection of their rights during that period.

There are concerns that the notwithstanding clause could be used to target vulnerable or marginalized groups, particularly if the government has a political agenda that goes against the rights of these groups. The example we have today is exactly what is worrying people.

If or when a government thinks about using the notwithstanding clause they should do so only after lengthy consultation. We shouldn’t be comfortable with our elected officials skirting the Charter for a political hot button issue that a judge has said is very likely to cause harm to young people in this province.

GSU has always stood with marginalized people in society. As working people ourselves, we want to raise the standard or living for everyone. What we want for ourselves we want for everyone.

By GSU staff rep Brian Lark

This weekend is the Thanksgiving long weekend in Canada. On Friday, everyone will be rushing out the door to prepare for spending time with family and friends. Whether your holiday takes you away from home or this is your year to host the gathering, there will be a lot of people on the road as you make last-minute trips to the store to grab meal items, fuel up the vehicle and purchase the always important road trip snacks.

Let’s all take time to plan and arrive safely at our destinations.

We have a lot to be thankful for this weekend and need to make sure we arrive safely to spend those precious moments with our loved ones. Allow for traffic delays and leave in plenty of time. Try to be proactive and do your shopping on Wednesday or Thursday to beat the rush in the stores and at the pumps.

After a well-deserved visit and holiday celebration, make your journey home just as safe.

A long day traveling and eating can lead to fatigue and unsafe conditions on the way home.

It is October and the weather can turn quickly making road surfaces slick, so be aware and be sure to drive with caution. In the event of poor weather, be sure to drive for the road conditions of the moment and not what they were last month.

Most of all this weekend, be thankful!

Be thankful to have friends and family who care about you. Thankful for a job to support you and your family and thankful for GSU. GSU is here for you all year long and we will continue to work for you and with you to improve your working relationships with your employer.

I am thankful for GSU. Back when I was a member, I understood the importance of the union. When I became an out-of-scope manager I was thankful for GSU because I knew they had my employees’ best interests in mind. Now, as a staff rep, I am thankful for GSU. This union has offered me the chance to help people, make a difference in their lives, and ultimately make a difference in mine.

Happy Thanksgiving!