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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Sara Meyer receiving her award from St. Thomas More president Dr. Carl Still.
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.
Phil entered last week’s contest by telling us that the GSU 2020 convention is being held at the Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa in Moose Jaw, and it was his name pulled out of the hat as our winner of two Rush tickets.
If Phil has been waiting for the right moment to bust out his neon hammer pants, this is the occasion. It’s 80s night at this Saturday’s game when the Rush take on the Colorado Mammoth in Saskatoon. In addition to the usual chest thumping that is encouraged at Rush games, fans can get up and dance during the half-time show by Streetheart.
Have a great time, Phil.
Check back next week when we’ll be sweeping in with some tickets for an event that will rock your world.
An intervention by GSU rep Steve Torgerson produced a solution for a member of Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) who had been waiting for seven weeks as their claim for EI benefits languished at Service Canada.
The member in question was laid off in mid-December as a result of the elimination of their position in Viterra’s Regina head office. When issuing the record of employment (ROE), Viterra’s payroll department mistakenly indicated that the member was on a leave of absence. A co-worker heard of the predicament and contacted GSU.
Steve Torgerson contacted HR to sort out the problem and a corrected ROE was issued to Service Canada.
“A lot of worry and frustration could have been avoided in this situation if GSU had been contacted sooner,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “We do our best to find solutions and answers for GSU members and it all begins with a phone call, email or text message.”
No problem is too small. If you have a question or a concern, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep. Their services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.
The 2020 GSU Biennial Policy Convention is coming up on March 19-21, 2020, and we want you to join us for what is shaping up to be a fantastic convention.
The venue
Moose Jaw’s Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa in the heart of downtown Moose Jaw is the ideal setting for our 2020 GSU convention. Learn more about the venue here.
The convention
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.
We have already lined up a great guest speaker, entertainment, and an exciting agenda we’ll be telling you about soon.
The entertainment
There is plenty for you and your fellow convention delegates to do outside the regular convention hours.
Casino Night GSU will be hosting a night of games and entertainment with a private casino evening for convention delegates.
World-renowned geothermal mineral spas. Early-birds can enjoy a 7:00 a.m. early-morning soak in the indoor/outdoor naturally warm spa waters, and night owls can soothe away their aches and relax their minds in the pools until 11:00 p.m. Wednesday/Thursday, and midnight on Friday.
Tunnels of Moose Jaw Travel back in time under the streets in Moose Jaw’s tunnels
Casino Moose Jaw Feeling lucky? Head across the street to the casino. If you take the pedway you won’t even need your coat.
The game changer for Mandel came when his private struggle was broadcast during a candid moment on a live radio show, and the public support Mandel received assured him he wasn’t alone in his challenges. You can hear his powerful story in the clip, above.
A trip to a counselor or psychiatrist to care for your mental health is as important as seeing your dentist or your doctor to care for your physical health.
One in five people in Canada will experience a mental health issue or illness in any given year. Stigma surrounding mental health is the number one reason two-thirds of those living with a mental illness don’t seek help. We must do better.
Do your part to end the stigma around mental health.
Talk about it, be kind, and be a safe place to allow others to be open about their struggles.
You can help raise funds just by using your phone on Jan. 29.
On Bell Let’s Talk Day, Bell will donate more towards mental health initiatives in Canada by contributing 5¢ for every applicable text, call, tweet, social media video view and use of their Facebook frame or Snapchat filter.
We’ve got two tickets to watch the Rush take on the Colorado Mammoth, and we’re giving them away to one GSU member. It’s easy to enter our contest draw. Just answer our contest question and you’ll be entered to win.
What venue and city are the host of GSU’s March 19-21, 2020 convention?
Get your answer to gsu@gsu.ca by 9:00 a.m. Feb. 4 and we’ll get your name into the draw drum.
Foreground: ILWU Canada president Rob Ashton on the Unifor Local 594 picket line.
On Jan. 25, ILWU Canada president Rob Ashton led a delegation to visit the Unifor Local 594 picket line at the Federated Cooperative Limited (FCL) refinery in Regina. Ashton was accompanied by five ILWU Canada members from the Vancouver area and GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner.
“The purpose of our visit was to bring solidarity greetings to the Unifor 594 members who are on the line to defend their hard won pension benefits against the efforts of an aggressive employer,” Wagner said. “Unifor’s brave stand has rallied the labour movement across the country. I was proud to stand with Rob Ashton and members of the ILWU Canada family as he brought best wishes from more than 15,000 members in Canada.”
GSU members employed by Viterra went through much of the same thing when their employer decided it wanted to be done with union members’ defined benefit pension plan.
Much like FCL today, Viterra had convinced a GSU bargaining committee to agree to exclude future hires from joining the defined benefit pension plan and promised that it would guarantee the pensions earned under the defined benefit pension plan.
Only a few years later, Viterra said it no longer wanted to stand behind its pension guarantees and proposed to wind up the defined benefit pension plan thereby cutting the pensions of pensioners and the earned pensions of active employees by up to 22 percent. GSU fought Viterra and won, but it was a grueling and expensive battle.
FCL’s propaganda about employee contributions is a red herring. The FCL pension plan for refinery workers in Regina is one of the promises made by the employer as part of the give and take of their collective bargaining relationship.
In 1979 FCL set up an employer controlled and funded defined benefit pension plan in addition to an employee savings plan. FCL did not ask employees to contribute to the pension plan and in turn it had control over the plan including the ability to make investment decisions and determine how investment surpluses were deployed.
FCL proposed the defined benefit pension plan that it now wants to dump in order to attract and retain qualified workers in a labour market that was highly competitive and in a work environment that highly technical, dangerous and stressful. These were FCL ideas and proposals to the union. This was not an arrangement that the union foisted on or extracted from FCL.
FCL never took issue with the design of its pension plan until 2017 when it convinced the Unifor local to agree to exclude new hires from the defined benefit (DB) pension plan and have them participate in a defined contribution (DC) pension plan. Unifor members concede that they made a mistake on this issue in 2017, but relied on FCL’s promise that all those who remained in the DB plan would do so for the rest of their employment.
What FCL is saying this time around, is that all Unifor members at the refinery must move to a DC pension plan and/or that those who want to remain in the DB plan should have to pay all of the supposed 11.5% wage increase being offered into the DB plan in addition to eliminating their company sponsored joint savings plan worth another 6.5% of employees’ pay; all in return for a significantly inferior pension calculation formula and the removal of employer pension backstop guarantees.
It seems FCL has become accustomed to throwing its weight around. After all, it was FCL that was behind the six-month strike/lockout over two-tier wages at the Saskatoon Co-op. It was FCL that was behind the 17-week strike over wages at the Wynyard Co-op several years ago. And it is FCL that seems to run the show at each of GSU’s bargaining tables with Discovery Co-op (North Battleford), Lake Country Co-op (P.A.), Lloydminster Co-Op and Prairie Co-op (Cupar and Strasbourg).
“Unifor has always been a strong force for good in the workplace and I urge every GSU member to do whatever they can to support Unifor Local 594 at the FCL refinery in Regina,” Wagner said.
