GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson assisted a GSU employee who was expecting a child. The member had a number of questions about maternity leave, paternity leave, and how the leave could be divided between the member and his partner.
Do you have a question about maternity leave, paternity leave, or other situations where you require a leave from work? Contact your GSU staff representative.
A GSU member was able to use sick leave for his child’s emergency health issue, but when a follow-up appointment was scheduled with a specialist in a major center, the union member’s request for sick leave to attend the appointment was denied.
The member was familiar with the collective agreement and knew that there was some provision for leave in these situations, but he couldn’t remember exactly how the coverage worked. The member contacted GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson.
Steve explained how the Serious Illness Leave clause applied to the situation, and the member was able to access the required leave to attend the specialist appointment with his child.
Do you need assistance addressing this issue or another problem in your workplace? Contact a GSU staff representative.
A Local 15 (CPS) member recently contacted GSU staff rep Dale Markling with an inquiry about a taxable benefit which showed up on their pay stub.
Dale contacted company management for clarification before advising the employee that the taxable benefit reflected gift cards that employees received for safety. The cards were considered to be income and employees were responsible for paying the tax on these amounts.
Do you need assistance addressing a similar issue or another problem in your workplace? Contact a GSU staff representative.
Recently GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner was contacted by a group of members working in a terminal elevator who were concerned about their ability to make plans for the upcoming holiday season. Wagner provided the following information to the members in question.
“Call-in pay is intended to address the kind of situation where an individual has left work and is called back or she/he is on a day of rest and is called into work. Anyone who has December 23 and/or 24 as a day of rest who is called in to load can claim call-in pay or overtime pay, whichever is the greater.
In addition, employees who have December 23, 24, 27, 28, 29 or 30 as scheduled days of rest may have a claim for standby pay if they are being asked to make themselves available to load on those dates.
If employees work on the 26th (which is a stat holiday) in addition to eight hours stat holiday pay, anyone who works that day is to be paid at the overtime rate of pay (time and a half). In addition, December 27 and January 2 are to be days off work in lieu of Christmas day and New Year’s day falling on a Sunday. As a result, employees who work those days are entitled to holiday pay for the day or to receive another day off in lieu plus overtime pay for those days.”
Wagner adds that if employees are on days of rest, statutory holidays or vacation and have not been assigned standby duty, they are under no obligation to make themselves available for a call-in.
Do you need assistance addressing this issue or another problem in your workplace? Contact a GSU staff representative.
No problem is too small. Identifying problems as soon as they arise benefits everyone. Call us toll-free if you have a question or a problem you would like addressed. Call 1.866.522.6686 (Regina) or 1.855.384.7314 (Saskatoon).
GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner was recently contacted by a GSU member who was having a problem with a major dental benefit claim that had been rejected by Manulife. The member was concerned that he would be several thousands of dollars out of pocket as a result of Manulife’s decision.
The following day Wagner contacted the employer’s HR department who responded quickly by advising they would sort things out with the Manulife. By November 28 the problem was resolved when Wagner was advised the dental claim would be paid.
“Sometimes union members opt not to raise problems or file grievances because they don’t want to cause a fuss – but it’s fair to say that there are no results when problem isn’t raised with the employer,” Wagner said. “As this example illustrates, it pays to act.”
Do you need assistance addressing a problem in your workplace?
Contact a GSU staff representative.
GSU staff reps routinely answer questions about sick leave, including how much information a member is required to share with their employer about the reason for the sick leave – particularly when the leave is for a very personal issue.
“I have advised members that the amount of information they need to provide is somewhat tied to the amount of time they are off,” said GSU staff rep Dale Markling. “The shorter the absence the less information the company is generally entitled to.”
If your have questions about sick leave or any other issue, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep.
Recently one of our staff reps received a call from a member about a disciplinary action the member had received. Unfortunately it was past the the timeline in the collective agreement to file a grievance so our member was out of time to appeal the disciplinary action.
Don’t wait to contact the union with employment problems or problems in your workplace. It is important that members contact us prior to the timeline deadlines in their collective agreements.
Even if you aren’t sure you have a grievance or that you actually want to file one, talk to your GSU staff rep. Our staff reps can help you make an informed decision by explaining your options and the consequences of filing or not filing a grievance. In the end, whether you choose to file a grievance is a decision only you can make.
Check your collective agreement or contact your GSU staff rep for information on timelines for filing a grievance.
GSU helps sort things out. If you need advice or interpretation about the terms and conditions of your collective agreement, call your GSU staff rep. Contacting GSU does not mean you are obligated to file a grievance and we will not contact your employer or act on your behalf without consultation, direction, and approval from you.
Questions? Call our staff reps toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 (Regina) or 1.855.384.7314 (Saskatoon).