When we announced our t-shirt winner in our Aug. 11 Tuesday Members’ Memo, we also snuck in a little contest.

The first five members to reply and let us know they had read the contest article received a surprise gift of a GSU clear tote bag, a mask, and a buff in the mail. Congratulations to Glenda Hunter-Craig (Local 1 – Viterra), Kaylee Kruger (Local 2 – Viterra), Heather Mackay (Local 7 – Heartland), Leanne Ulmer (Local 14 – Richardson), and Local 1 (Viterra)’s Brett North who shocked himself when he broke his streak of never winning anything.

Thank you to everyone who replied. You may not have been one of our first five to reply, but we always appreciate hearing from you.

Progress has been made in the division of household duties between couples, but often the responsibility for childcare still falls on the shoulders of the female head of the household. With the uncertainty surrounding the return to school, limited options for childcare, and in some cases no option to return to pre-Covid employment, some women will not be returning to work.

That has experts suggesting the economy will suffer, dubbing it a potential pandemic “shecession”.

Read the complete story here: Pandemic threatens to wipe out progress made by working mothers

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.

GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner is currently working to clarify and correct payroll issues for union members who are trying to make sense of the information on their pay stubs. 

“It’s a good practice to examine your pay stub to make sure you are receiving the correct rate of pay and that deductions are consistent,” Wagner said. “Mistakes do happen, and when they do it’s best to address them as quickly as possible.” 

“Sometimes an individual inquiry can reveal systemic problems that affect large numbers of people on employer’s payroll, “said Wagner. “Sorting things out is one of the services GSU provides to members. We get answers and all members have to do is call or email.”

Contacting GSU does not mean you are obligated to file a grievance. We’re here to assist you but we won’t contact your employer or file a grievance on your behalf without consultation, direction, and approval from you.

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

Barring a last minute settlement, members of ILWU Canada working for grain inspection firm SGS in Prince Rupert will either be on strike or locked out today.

On Aug. 1, union members held a strike vote and voted 100 percent in favour of strike action in support of their effort to bargain a first collective agreement with SGS. Many GSU members will be familiar with SGS which provides grain inspection services to terminal elevators on the prairies. Although there are a host of unresolved issues, one of the key elements of the dispute is SGS’ effort to impose an hourly wage of $16.

“I’ve spoken to ILWU Canada president Rob Ashton and offered GSU’s support to the striking workers,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “At the moment it’s not clear how this dispute will affect grain handling on the prairies or in Prince Rupert, so we will monitor the situation closely.”
“There is also the high probability of dispute between ILWU Canada and SGS at the Port of Vancouver for many of the same reasons ” Wagner said.

“When GSU members have been in a dispute with one of our employers, ILWU Canada has been quick and ready to help, including generous financial support and honouring GSU picket lines at the Port of Vancouver.”

Aug. 11, 2020

Last week we asked you to enter our contest to win a GSU shirt and mask by telling us what positive had come out of the pandemic for you. We weren’t surprised that every answer we received pointed to time with family, self-reflection, appreciation for what we have, and an opportunity to spend time on things that had been put aside.

Congratulations to Local 14 (Richardson) member Shirley Walters-Cousins for being the lucky winner of our draw.

Aug. 4, 2020

The cooler winds of autumn will soon be here, so it’s a good time to give away a long-sleeved GSU shirt and mask.

Enter our draw by answering the following question:

What is a positive that has come out of the pandemic for you?

Send your answer to us at gsu@gsu.ca by 9:00 a.m. on Aug. 11 and you will be entered in our draw. Good luck!

Contest rules are available here.

By GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner

It seems to be somewhat cyclical, but with the steady ramping up of grain shipments from terminal elevator locations GSU is receiving an increasing number of complaints about excessive demands being placed on employees.

The source of complaints is not every location and not every company has the same approach, but more and more GSU members are growing fed up with the pressure to produce more and more without any extra help or relief. Understaffing and poor planning are chronic problems and the impact hits workers the hardest.

While it might seem like somewhat of a broken record, we advise members to use the rights they have under their collective agreements to refuse to work excess hours. I understand the pressure from management and the desire not to leave co-workers dangling, but until people act collectively to say NO, the system won’t change.

GSU has bargained protections into collective agreements. We’ll back members who rely on their rights, but we need members to step forward.

Are you experiencing difficulties in the workplace?

Contact 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.

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

Call us toll-free at 1.866.522.6686.

Every autumn GSU members and officers look forward to attending the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) convention. The convention location rotates between Saskatoon and Regina, providing GSU members throughout Saskatchewan access to topical speakers, presentations, debates, and the opportunity to meet new GSU delegates and catch up with old friends.

On June 16 the SFL’s Executive Council passed a motion to postpone the 2020 SFL Annual Convention until such time the Saskatchewan Medical Health Officer says it’s safe to hold large gatherings. As a result, there will be no SFL convention call sent out to GSU members this year.

“Safety of our members is a priority and I think the SFL’s decision was a wise one,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “GSU is also closely monitoring the latest health advisories and conducting its meetings and union business accordingly.”

People have a tendency to put unpleasantness behind them and move on, so to speak. Quite often this is the reaction when a worker is issued a warning, reprimand, or short suspension for an alleged workplace infraction.

“If a worker doesn’t think a disciplinary penalty is fair they should challenge it – even if it is a relatively light punishment,” says GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “At the very least union members should work with their GSU representative to make sure that their response to the accusation and penalty is on the record.”

“What seemed like a small thing a month ago or a year ago can come back to haunt if a more serious issue arises at a later date,” Wagner added. “Quite often a person’s whole record is taken into account when an employer considers the severity of a penalty, and that small thing from before is added to the pile.”

Wagner advises that the first thing to do when being handed a workplace disciplinary penalty by your employer is to ask to have the assistance of a union representative. Even if the worker considers the punishment to be deserved and fair they should still seek the assistance of their union representative. These services are provided to all members as part of union dues and there is no additional charge for assistance.

“Don’t let small things add up and become big things down the road,” Wagner says.

Do you have a question about an issue in your workplace?

Contacting GSU does not mean you are obligated to file a grievance. We are here to assist you in any way we can, but we won’t contact your employer or act on your behalf without consultation, direction, and approval from you.

Contact us with your questions or when you think there is a problem to be fixed. It’s easier to solve problems when they are small and sometimes a brief comment, email or meeting is all that is needed to address a situation and work things out.

The GSU Defense Fund board of directors met by conference call on July 27. The primary purpose of the meeting was to review the Fund investments.

GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner reported that the market value of the Fund assets was $4,742,462 as at June 30. The lion’s share of the investments are with RBC Dominion Securities ($4.5 million) with the balance in a cash account at Affinity Credit Union. Reflecting market volatility, the RBC portfolio is down by slightly more than 3 percent on a year-to-date basis.

The five directors of the GSU Defense Fund are Dennis Piasta (Local 14 – Kindersley), Ron Gerlock (Local 8 – Regina), Wilfred Harris (Local 1 – Carnduff), Darryl Knelsen (Local 1 – Fairlight) and Barb Healey (Local 14 – Edenwold).

The directors plan to meet again following the end of the third quarter.

Do you have questions about the GSU Defense Fund?
Contact general secretary Hugh Wagner at Hugh@gsu.ca

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) is offering three occupational health and safety webinars for union members in mid-September.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 – 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Protecting Our Members: Using OH&S Committees Effectively During COVID-19

THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 – 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Protecting Workers Mental Health During COVID-19

FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 – 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Rights and Responsibilities during COVID-19.

Don’t miss out! Register now.

These webinars are open to all SFL affiliates and they are expected to fill up quickly.

GSU members interested in learning more or participating in any or all of the webinars are asked to contact general secretary Hugh Wagner by email at Hugh@gsu.ca.

GSU members who sign up and are approved to participate in GSU-sanctioned events will have their time off work, wages, and expenses covered in accordance with GSU’s expense policies (child care included). GSU staff will also assist you with arranging the time off with your employer.

When your sick leave extends to the point where the insurance company gets involved, it’s important to constantly track where things are at and keep in contact with the insurance company.

“Things can slide off the rails quickly if you aren’t tracking and following-up on your claim,” said GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson. “Whether it is keeping a record of correspondence, tracking your appointments or following up with your doctor, it’s important to keep good records and stay in touch with your insurance company so you don’t put your claim in jeopardy.”

View or print our Sick Leave Organizer for GSU members here.

Need help or want advice? Sometimes just a brief phone call, email, or meeting is all that is needed to address a situation. Contacting GSU does not mean you are obligated to file a grievance and we won’t act on your behalf without authorization from you. Contact your GSU staff rep to learn more – gsu.ca.

A member contacted us with concerns that their increment date had been missed for a number of months. With permission from the member, staff rep Donna Driediger was able to contact company management and rectify the situation with retroactivity for the time missed. 

Contacting GSU does not mean you are obligated to file a grievance. Sometimes just a brief phone call, email, or meeting is all that is needed to address a situation.

Contact your GSU staff rep to learn more.

Throughout July our GSU staff reps are busy checking in with members and distributing our new GSU masks.

If you haven’t already got one, it should be on its way to you soon. Can’t wait? Contact your GSU staff rep.

Instructions for your new mask are available below and in this printable PDF instruction sheet.

It’s frustrating when our plans are ruined by the weather. No one wants to go camping, fishing, or get their yard work done in excessive wind, rain, or extreme heat.

Imagine how stressful it would be if your income relied heavily on Saskatchewan’s unstable weather producing heat and moisture in the right form at the right times. With our unpredictable prairie weather, it’s no wonder calls to the Farm Stress line are increasing and more Saskatchewan farmers are seeking mental health support.

Additional help will be available to farmers soon.

Saskatoon-based technology company Bridges Health is working to create a new app that will compile resources and strategies to assist producers who are struggling with their own mental health.

Learn more, here:

• App offers mental health support [The Western Producer]

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.