Perhaps we’re socially conditioned to look the other way, but increasingly people around the world and in Canada are speaking out against a wide variety of injustices. Anti-racism protests and other public actions are chief among causes that more and more people are joining to lend their voices in support of systemic change. 

GSU has always stood against racism at home and abroad, but we can all do more. No one is free from the corrosive effects of racism and while we can’t change the past, we can certainly change the present and the future. So let’s commit as individuals and as unions to do our part to demand real change in our communities, institutions and governments at all levels. 

Everyone does better when EVERYONE does better.

All ballots received in GSU’s Regina office by 12:00 noon were counted by GSU Local 15 (Nutrien) bargaining committee members Lynn Shaw and Dale Markling. The vote was supervised by GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner and staff representative Steve Torgerson. 

The members have soundly rejected the company’s final offer presented on June 5, 2020. 

“77 percent of the ballots rejected the company’s final offer,” Shaw said. “The members have clearly told us the company’s proposal to eliminate our guarantees on sick leave, our pension plan, and paid leaves is not acceptable.”

“We have heard the members and will take direction from them,” Markling added. “We thank the members for their vote of confidence.”

“I will be serving Nutrien notice that their final offer has been rejected and we wish to get back to the bargaining table to try and find a resolution the members can accept,” Markling said. “The members want a settlement, but they are not prepared to give up the guarantees the collective agreement currently provides.”

After notice is served to Nutrien, it is GSU’s hope the parties can continue to meet and reach a tentative settlement to take to the members for a vote. Failing a negotiated settlement, either party is able to declare an impasse and request conciliation. If the conciliation fails to produce a settlement after the 60-day conciliation period, the parties would be in a legal strike or lock-out position following a two-week cooling off period.

This information was shared with Local 15 (Nutrien) members by email on July 3. If you are a Nutrien member and did not receive our email, you are not in our database. If you would like to be included in GSU emails, send your address to us at gsu@gsu.ca.

Covid-19 effectively wiped out our plans for our regular June membership meetings and member visitations, but GSU reps will be hitting the road in July to check in with members and drop off our new GSU masks.

Whether is it a socially-distanced chat in a parking lot or a check-in by video conference or phone, our reps will be in touch throughout July.

Jump the Queue! Give us a call

Don’t wait to hear from us. If you would like to talk to us sooner than later and you have a date and time that work for you and your co-workers, give your GSU staff rep a call.

Our contact information is available here.

Local 5 members were invited to participate in a conference call membership meeting on the morning of June 30. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the company’s request to continue a wage rollback for an additional three months before reinstating regular wages.

Members have until 3:30 p.m. June 30 to vote on whether to accept or reject the company’s request. 

Normally at this time of year GSU representatives would be conducting a series of workplace visits and holding membership meetings in GSU’s Locals and Sub-Locals. COVID-19 public health guidelines and workplace safety measures have altered our traditional approach to union membership meetings and other representation work. 

“Not everyone is comfortable with the same approach so we are trying to tailor things to meet local needs,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “The work we do on behalf of GSU members has not let up and we constantly try to adjust to new circumstances. In the meantime, we are available to answer any questions, complaints, or need for assistance.”

GSU representatives are communicating with union members and officers to discuss how best to address contact work during the pandemic.

The following email was sent to Local 15 members on June 25.

TO: GSU Local 15 (Nutrien) members
FROM: Dale Markling – Local 15 bargaining committee spokesperson

This is our last reminder to cast your vote and mail your ballots back to the GSU office.  If you haven’t already voted, we urge you to get your ballots in the mail as quickly as possible. The ballots must be in the GSU Regina office by noon on Friday, July 3. REMEMBER: July 1 is a statutory holiday and this may delay the mail slightly.

Notification of the results will be sent to members on July 3 using the email addresses we have on file for you. The results of the vote will also be posted on GSU’s website.

Thank you for your participation in this very important vote. 

At the end of April, Advance Tank Production issued a mass layoff notice to its work force in response to economic conditions in the oil sector and the COVID-19 pandemic. AEA/GSU Local 8 took issue with the length of layoff notice given to six employees and argued they were entitled to eight weeks’ notice or pay in lieu. Discussions during the grievance procedure were not successful in resolving the disagreement and the grievance was referred to arbitration. An arbitrator remains to be selected and dates for hearing will follow. 

“While this grievance has been referred to arbitration, we continue to communicate with the employer in an effort to resolve the disagreement,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner.

In the May 26 Tuesday Members’ Memo general secretary Hugh Wagner reported on discussions between Viterra and GSU about the allocation of time to GSU members who use the personal family leave provision (Article 13.9 of the collective agreements ). Specifically, if a member claiming the leave works a modified shift (e.g. 13.3 hours per shift), are they to be paid equivalent time for each day of paid personal family leave (maximum three paid days)? 

After receiving comments from Local 1 and 2 members, Wagner followed up with Viterra HR and advises that members claiming paid personal family leave, as provided in GSU’s collective agreements with the employer, will be paid for the number of hours they would have worked if not absent on leave. 

“It is important to bear in mind that this provision of the collective agreements with Viterra draws on employees’ accumulated sick leave and it covers the wages lost by the employee just as if they were absent from work on sick leave,” Wagner said. “I appreciate the input received from members on this subject. It helped clarify and resolve the discussion with management.”

Personal Family Leave in GSU Local 1 (Viterra Ops/Maintenance) and Local 2 (Viterra Office) – what are your thoughts?

By Hugh Wagner – May 27, 2020

A new addition to the current collective agreements between GSU and Viterra was personal family leave as provided in section 13.9 of Article 13 – Leaves of Absence.

The new section provides that employees are allowed to take up to five days of personal family leave and provided they have at least three months of continuous service the first three days of leave will be with pay and will be applied against the employee’s accrued sick leave credits. Section 13.9 of the collective agreement goes on to describe circumstances in which personal family leave applies as well as control measures.

This new feature of the collective agreements with Viterra was an important step forward in the struggle to balance work with family responsibilities. However, as with many new things, there are some wrinkles to sort out.

For example, an employee who works a modified work week of 13.3 hours per shift and takes three days to attend a matter covered by personal family leave. Should they be paid for 39.9 hours which are charged to their sick leave bank? Or should the employee receive 24 hours’ pay for the three days and have to make up the rest of the time from some other pool?

I think the employee should be paid as if they were at work, which would mean three days at 13.3 hours per day in this example. We’re in discussions with Viterra HR to make sure the system works fairly for union members. We’ll report on the results of our discussions once we’ve worked things out, but in the meantime we’d like Local 1 and 2 members to let us know what they think on the subject. Drop us a note by email to gsu@gsu.ca.

Hugh Wagner is GSU’s general secretary and spokesperson for the Local 1 and 2 bargaining committees who negotiated the current collective agreements in these two locals. You can reach Hugh at Hugh@gsu.ca or 306.536.3414.

In early May, the Broadbent Institute commissioned Abacus Data to conduct a national public opinion survey to explore the kind of recovery Canadians want after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey found that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread anxiety and concern for Canadians across the country. As they look ahead to the economic recovery, most are looking for a bold and ambitious recovery.

• Canadians, by a 2 to 1 margin, want governments to spend whatever is necessary rather than control the deficit.

• Canadians think the long-term, health system, and employment structure needs a lot of improvement.
   
• Canadians want an economic recovery that is fair, makes the country more self-sufficient, and invests in the public health care system.
   
• 3 in 4 Canadians support a wealth tax on Canada’s wealthiest people to help pay for the recovery.
   
• 77% Support governments providing financial assistance and debt relief to municipalities to help with budget shortfalls.
   
• 8 in 10 Canadians want government to ensure public funds to assist corporations are not used to enrich executives or existing shareholders.

The survey was conducted online with 2,280 Canadians aged 18 and over from May 1 to 6, 2020.

View the survey and complete results here: Abacus Data: What Kind of Recovery?

The Union and Company are trying to set up some dates to resume negotiations and work out the logistics of how the negotiations are conducted in our new COVID-19 reality. 

Members will be advised when dates are set.

Bargaining committee members representing GSU Local 5 are Sharlene Tetrault, Michelle Houlden, and GSU staff rep/bargaining spokesperson Dale Markling.

Thank you to everyone who sent us an email and shared how COVID-19 changed their workplace.

Last week we asked GSU members which measures and restrictions they thought should become temporary and permanent parts of the workplace routines as governments and employers re-open and navigate our new normal.

As promised, we conducted a draw from the replies we received, and the following five GSU members have each won a $100 gift card of their choice:

• Raelee Kearns (Local 2 – Viterra)
• Kaylee Kruger (Local 2 – Viterra)
• Mark Pankratz   (Local 1 – Viterra)
• Tasha Seitz  (Local 2 – Viterra)
• Jill Topham (Local 1 – Viterra).

We received a lot of valuable feedback and insight from GSU members. That helps us understand the issues you are facing so we can tailor our representation services. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns as your workplace adjusts to COVID-19 regulations and restrictions, please feel welcome to reach back out to your GSU staff representative and they will be happy to assist you.

The overwhelming majority of GSU members have continued to work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and related public health measures. A number of members were able to work from home, but the predominant majority continued to report for duty at their usual workplace, albeit under dramatically different circumstances. 

Restricted access to work locations, physical distancing within workplaces, enhanced sanitation and hygiene as well as heightened awareness about personal wellness were hallmarks of the changed approach to work. Along with these measure came additional anxiety and stress as GSU members (like so many others on the front lines) worried about the health of their families, their own health, and juggled additional family responsibilities. 

Happily we can report that no GSU-represented workplaces experienced any cases of COVID-19 infection. And we once again acknowledge and thank all who were able to and continued to do their jobs. 

As governments and employers begin the “re-opening” process, which of the various workplace measures and restrictions do you think should become part of the so-called new normal? 

What do you think should become a new permanent part of workplace routines?

Send your email reply to us at  gsu@gsu.ca by 5:00 p.m. on June 1.

On June 2 we will conduct a random draw from the replies received for and five GSU members will win a $100 gift card of their choice.

Winners will be announced here on June 2.

On May 20 GSU Local 15 bargaining spokesperson Dale Markling sent an email update to Local 15 members. If you did not receive the update we don’t have your current email address in our database.

If you would like to be added to GSU’s database and receive updates like this one, send us an email at gsu@gsu.ca and let us know.

May 20, 2020

Greetings,

The Company and GSU are still in negotiations. The last time we met was on February 18 and 19 when Nutrien made an offer that GSU’s bargaining committee took away to consider. Since then normal planning for in person bargaining meetings and other union/management business has been overtaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are in the process of rescheduling bargaining with Nutrien, albeit in dramatically changed circumstances. 

The Company is trying to take some of the benefits you currently enjoy out of the Collective Agreement. Your bargaining unit has fought for and had these benefits incorporated as part of the Collective Agreement for many years. While from time to time they may have changed, however, the members had an opportunity to negotiate around those changes.

On wage increases GSU’s committee is pushing for guaranteed increases for employees in recognition of rises in the cost of living as opposed to solely aggregate or average wage increases that reward some, but don’t do much for so many employees.

The Company and the Union are in discussions to commence scheduling a resumption of bargaining in order to negotiate a settlement worthy of the commitment and hard work of GSU members. The Company is going to respond with dates and once something is scheduled I will advise you of this.

I understand this is a busy time for everyone, we are hopeful the upcoming bargaining meetings will produce an acceptable settlement, In the meantime during this busy time, stay safe and stay well.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding the bargaining or other workplace issues.

Sincerely,

Dale Markling
GSU Local 15 bargaining spokesperson / GSU Staff Representative
Grain and General Services Union
Dale@gsu.ca
306. 384.7314 office / 306.229.9299 cell