Everyone is entitled to human rights without discrimination, and everyone has an obligation to combat racial discrimination.

March 21 is the international day for the elimination of racial discrimination and it is the perfect time to make a personal commitment to do your part to eliminate racism.

What can you do? Check out these simple ways to make a big difference in the fight against racism.

Larry Hubich has served as the president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour for the past 15 years. Prior to taking on the SFL’s top position, Hubich worked for GSU as a staff representative and as a computer programmer at Saskatchewan Wheat Pool.

 Learn more about Larry Hubich and his life before the SFL here.

Major data breeches in 2016 exposed log-in information and passwords for millions of people. A number of companies made the best of a bad situation by evaluating the passwords and compiling lists of the most commonly used – and worst – passwords leaked over the internet in 2016. 

Tied for top honour for a sixth straight year on Splash Data’s worst password list are the passwords “password” and “123456”. Fellow contenders “passw0rd” and “password1” ranked slightly lower at numbers 18 and 25, respectively, and Star Wars received two nods with “solo” and “princess” cracking the top 15 at numbers 13 and 9. 

Don’t make a hacker’s job easy. 

Make sure your passwords are secure by using a variety of numbers, symbols, and upper- and lower-case letters. Make it a point to update your passwords regularly and use unique passwords for each site to decrease the chance of having multiple accounts hacked or your identity stolen. 

Check out 25 of the worst passwords for 2016 and learn more about how to keep your on-line identify safe: Worst passwords of 2016.

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.

As Saskatchewan’s $1.2 billion provincial deficit soars, the government is talking about possible wage freezes and job cuts for public-sector workers. 

There are also whispers about selling SaskTel. Legislation proposed by the Saskatchewan Party last autumn would allow the government to sell up to 49 per cent of a company without it being considered privatization.

Author Simon Enoch has evaluated the desirability of privatization and whether Saskatchewan would fare better under a privately-owned or publicly-owned telecom.

Read Enoch’s findings here:  Behind the numbers: Brad Wall, SaskTel, and the terrible horrible no-good, very bad idea.

If you are called into an investigation meeting by your employer you should ask if this could result in discipline. If the answer is yes, you have the right to have a union representative present. 

If you request to be accompanied by a union representative and the employer refuses to grant your request, they do so at the risk of jeopardizing the integrity of their investigation. 

The benefit of having a union representative present during an investigative meeting or a disciplinary meeting is that the employee has an advocate and a witness present. 

“There have been many times when the employee has said something and the employer has taken it out of context or the wrong way,” said GSU staff rep Dale Markling. “Having a union representative present tends to lead a reduction in tension and create a more civil atmosphere. Employees report they have found meetings with a union representative present to be much more about fact finding and much less of an inquisition.”

If you have questions or you think you might require union representation, contact your GSU staff rep. Your inquiry is confidential and there is no additional charge for having a staff rep attend a meeting with you. 

As we grieve the tragic loss of Canadian lives at a Quebec City Mosque, let us remember that Canada is a nation of people from elsewhere, save and except of the original inhabitants. We should always stand against hatred, intolerance and the violence borne in the darkness of ignorance, bigotry and prejudice. What we have accomplished for ourselves we want for all others regardless of their faith, the colour of their skin or their origins.

Leaders from Saskatchewan’s labour movement recently came together through a series of meetings to share information on what people are hearing from public employers. They say one thing has become clear: the provincial government is setting the stage to blame Saskatchewan workers for the government’s own budget mismanagement, waste, and lack of leadership.

“Janitors, teachers, and healthcare providers did not cause the government’s billion dollar deficit, so it makes no sense whatsoever for the premier to be bullying these, and other, public servants,” said Larry Hubich, president of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL).

In response to what they say are the provincial government’s attacks on working people, families, students, and communities, a rally is being organized.

“The Rally for Saskatchewan is an opportunity for everyone to come together and fight for what we value here in Saskatchewan: public Crowns and strong public services, world-class public healthcare, schools and teachers that have the resources they need to teach our kids, a seniors’ care system that is properly staffed, and a positive direction that believes in the promise of this province,” Hubich said. “Selling Crowns and public services will really hit families hard: prices will go up, services will suffer, and jobs will be lost – especially in small towns and rural Saskatchewan.That’s why we are involving local leaders in this effort. We hope town and city councils will defend their communities and call on the provincial government to stop its risky privatization schemes.”

People can share information about privatization and take action to protect our Crowns by sending a letter to their local town/city council/MLA by visiting: www.ownyoursask.ca.