Health and Safety – By GSU staff rep Brian Lark

It’s that time of year again and this season has brought on unusually hot weather. We always look forward to the warmer weather after a long cold winter, but there are few things to consider and remember in the glory days of the summer months. Not only are there health risks associated with the hot dry temperatures that we are experiencing; there are also environmental risks.

Fire

With people getting out to enjoy the sunshine or even starting up seasonal tasks, fire is a risk. If you are having a gathering around a backyard fire, be sure to put it out. The burning embers from a cigarette flung from a vehicle window is a common cause of wildfires. Poorly maintained equipment moving down the road also presents a risk of fire as sparks can cause the dry grass to ignite and burn out of control.

Be sure to extinguish all fires when not attending them, if there is a fire ban issued, please adhere to the requests of your municipality until it is lifted. Smoking is no longer permitted indoors of establishments so if you do need to satisfy your craving, please be responsible enough to butt out your cigarette in an approved ashtray to help ensure that the risk is gone. Finally, please be sure that all vehicles and equipment are in good working order prior to operating. A poorly maintained piece of equipment is not only a potential fire hazard, but is also a real safety risk to the operator.

Factor in the Humidity

If you find yourself working, or playing outside in the heat of the day there are personal safety risks to consider. Remember, it’s not just the temperature that matters, you also need to factor in the humidity. The hotter and more humid it is, the more breaks you need to take.

There are different levels of risk when exposure to higher temperatures and they all have their own symptoms.

Heat Rash and Sunburn

Heat rash and sunburn are the entry level medical concerns when working outside. A heat rash is often a cluster of small red bumps/blisters. They often form on the neck, chest, groin area or the creased in the elbow. The remedy is to stay in a cool dry place, keep the rash dry and use baby powder to sooth the rash.

We have all experienced a sunburn or know someone who has. This is the next stage; it can range from a reddening of the skin to blisters. The area will be warm to the touch and can be extremely painful. If you do get burned stay out of the sun as much as possible, cover the skin if you must be outdoors. Apply cool cloths or take a cool bath to help remove the heat. Once the skin is cooled down put on a moisturizing lotion and do not break open the blisters. Open sores can become infected and lead to different complications.

Heat Exhaustion and Stroke

The next and final stages are heat exhaustion and stroke. Heat exhaustion symptoms are profuse sweating, cold, pale, clammy skin. A fast weak pulse, often nausea or vomiting. Muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, headache and finally fainting spells. If you or someone you are observing exhibit these symptoms move to a cool place out of the sun. loosen tight clothing (untuck shirt, undo a couple of buttons, loosen belt and boots). Use cool cloths or a cool bath to bring down body temperature and just sip water, don’t drink lots at once this will add to the nausea feelings. You should seek medical attention if you vomit, symptoms get worse or last longer than an hour.

Heat stroke is the most serious condition from working in high temperature areas. The body will be exhibiting fever like symptoms. A body temperature of 103 degrees or higher. Skin is hot, red, and damp to dry. You stop sweating and exhibit a fast strong pulse. Headache, dizziness, nausea, confusion, and fainting spells. If you experience these symptoms immediately call 911. Move the person to a cooler place and try to lower the temperature with cool cloths or a cool bath. Do not give them anything to drink the body will not accept it in this condition and the person will vomit.

So now you know what to watch out for but how do we keep ourselves out of harm. Put on clothing to keep the skin covered. Use sunscreen on any exposed areas, the higher the SPF the better. Aways wear a hat to help shield your body and head from the sun.  Drink lots of water to keep hydrated. Ice cold water may cause stomach cramps so drink it cool or room temperature.  Coffee will increase internal body temperature so not an adequate liquid for heat exposure. Alcohol and sugary drinks are also not a wise choice. These types of drinks will in fact increase dehydration. Take breaks away from the heat. In the shade or inside an air-conditioned building is preferred. At the top of this story is a Canada OH&S table regarding high temperature work as well as humidity rating. If we all follow these guidelines, we can keep ourselves and those around us safe.

The 2022/2023 Joint Executive Council Annual Report to GSU members is available to be read and/or downloaded.

• 2022/2023 Annual Report of GSU’s Joint Executive Council

This report of the union’s governing body was reviewed and adopted by delegates to GSU’s March 2023 biennial policy convention. It contains important information for GSU members about the business of your union, including the 2022 audited financial statements.

GSU prides itself on practicing democracy and transparent administration on behalf of the union’s members.

Copies of the report will also be available to members during our upcoming spring visitations, but members wanting a hard copy of the report now can call 1.866.522.6686 or send an email request to gsu@gsu.ca.

If you have questions, comments or concerns about this report, don’t hesitate to contact a Joint Executive Council member, GSU general secretary Steve Torgerson or your GSU staff representative.

Happy International Women’s Day to women everywhere!

Today we celebrate social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and resolve to continue fighting for women’s equality.

Learn more about International Women’s Day here.

A tentative settlement was reached during the first bargaining session on Jan. 31, Feb. 1 and 2. A bargaining update and ratification meeting to vote on the memorandum of agreement will be scheduled once the Memorandum of Agreement has been signed by union and company officers.

Information will be provided to Local 16 members as it becomes available.

GSU’s bargaining committee comprises Ward Tolley, Kara Thevenot and GSU staff representative/bargaining spokesperson Brian Lark.

On Jan. 6 it was announced that CIBC will pay $153 million to approximately 30,000 current and former employees to settle a class action law suit over the bank allowing/requiring employees to work unpaid overtime.

While settlement of the law suit is good news for the employees involved, it is noteworthy that the class action was commenced in 2007 and originally sought $500 million in compensation for affected employees.

Unionized employees do not have to hire lawyers, commence class action law suits or wait 16 years for results when they’ve been wrongfully denied employment rights like payment for overtime work. Unionized employees have access to a grievance/arbitration procedure through their union at no extra cost.

GSU provides effective employee representation and grievance action to defend the workplace rights of union members.

“Over the years millions of dollars in wages and benefits have been recovered for GSU members through active utilization of the grievance/arbitration process,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “Processing grievances and taking them to arbitration takes time, but nothing remotely close to the years piled up in the CIBC class action suit”

If you and your co-workers are interested in joining a union, reach out to us to learn more.

The point of using your health benefits isn’t just to use up the money – it’s to make sure that you are getting the medications, treatments and help you need to feel and be your best mentally and physically. Self-care is important and it needs to be a priority.

Check your collective agreement for details on your account, and – as always – don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep if you need help sorting things out. The services we provide to you are included in your union dues, and there is no additional charge for assisting you.

GSU staff rep Brian Lark is assisting a member who has been a temporary employee for six years. The member was originally a summer student hired as a temporary employee, and for the following five years the employee was hired on an eight- to ten-month term contract.

“As a temporary employee, they are not entitled to all of the benefits that a regular employee is entitled to. They are not eligible to be a part of the group benefits. They do not get money towards a pension. They are not afforded paid time off for being sick, attending their sick children or vacations,” Lark said. “They are not entitled to an annual increase unless they are able to negotiate one themself when they accept the term position. These are basic privileges that come with being part of the union and they are excluded from them.”

Lark is working with the employer to transition the employee to a permanent employee.

“This employee enjoys the work and position, and is willing to come back each year to do the work,” said Lark. “All they are asking is that the company give them the opportunity to enjoy all the benefits that come with being a permanent employee.”

No problem is too small, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us with your questions, observations or concerns. Our services are provided to you as part of your union dues and there is never an additional charge for assisting you or a limit on the times you can seek advice. Contact information for GSU staff representatives is available on our web page at GSU.ca.

Ten days of employer-paid sick leave are now available for private sector workers who fall under the jurisdiction of the Canada Labour Code.

Workers who have been continuously employed for at least 30 days will have access to their first three days of paid sick leave as of Dec. 31, 2022. Starting on Feb. 1, 2023, workers will acquire a fourth day of paid sick leave and will continue to accumulate one day of paid sick leave on the first day of each following month up to a maximum of 10 days per year.

“Most GSU members already have better sick leave benefits through their collective agreements with their employers, particularly since the new federal benefit caps out at 10 paid days per year,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “Nonetheless, this is a major improvement to labour standards that can be built on and extended to workers who are currently excluded because they are deemed to be temporary or casual.”

“Improving labour standards for all is a cause actively supported by GSU, but the absolute best way for workers to get ahead is to join a union,“ Wagner said. “Provincial governments would do well to follow the lead of the federal government since paid sick leave is an important incentive in recruiting and retaining workers.”

As an employee in Canada, you have a minimum of three basic rights when it comes to Occupational Health and Safety.

These rights were born in Saskatchewan and later adopted by all provinces and the country. While Canadian occupational health and safety legislation guarantees these rights for all employees in Canada as a minimum, each province has the authority and ability to adapt and strengthen these rights in their jurisdictions. The Saskatchewan Employment Act and Regulations also guarantee these rights for all workers in Saskatchewan.

You can’t safely guard against a hazard if you don’t know it exists

#1.  The right to know about health and safety.   [WorkSafe Sask video] 

As an employee you have a right to know hazards that are present in the workplace or are likely to be in the workplace. It is the responsibility of the employer to inform you and to provide information, instructions, education, training and supervision as needed to protect your health and safety. All these things must be provided before the work begins.

While it is the responsibility of the employer to inform you, you also have a responsibility to ensure you are engaged, educated and participating by asking questions and seeking clarification before you start the work.

If you haven’t been informed of the hazards, STOP!

Don’t start a project without knowledge about the hazards in your workspace or the workspace you may be going into.

For instance, if you are asked to travel to a different work location to do the tasks you perform at your home location, you must be aware of the differences between the two locations. Even if it is a similar task, the way you complete a task at your home station may not be the same protocol for the location you are traveling to. The environment, the people you are working with and the tasks they are responsible for performing are all new to you. You need to be instructed on how to complete the task and who is responsible for other tasks.

Example: Loading Rail Cars

While you may open and close rail cars at your home station during the loading process, the way you access the top of the rail cars may be different than other locations. Likewise, safety procedures for moving cars and the emergency procedure to get off the top of the rail car may be different, the people responsible for completing tasks may be unfamiliar to you and the tasks of their position may be different than those at your home station. It’s also important to be aware of language or cultural barriers in the new location that are not present in your home location and to note who on staff has first aid training.

These are only a few examples of differences you may encounter doing a similar task in a new environment.

As an employee, you have the right to participate in planning to minimize or eliminate hazards in the workplace.

#2.  The right to participate in decisions that could affect your health and safety. [WorkSafe Sask video]

One way to participate is by becoming a member of your workplace OH&S committee. Saskatchewan legislation requires workplaces with 10 or more employees to have an OH&S committee. The committee must be equally comprised of employer and employee representatives. Larger federal employers have additional responsibilities and committees to ensure the safety of their workers.

In the work place you can participate in OH&S by bringing forward ideas, risks, and concerns to the attention of your supervisor and OH&S committee. When asked to do a task, you have the right to participate in planning and control of the risks and hazards that are present, and you can make suggestions to your supervisor and OH&S committee.

Don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep if you need assistance with an issue in your workplace.

#3. The right to refuse work that could affect your health and safety or that of others. [WorkSafe Sask video]

Employees have the right to refuse and the right to know if work has been refused.

Don’t be afraid to exercise this right when you believe the work will endanger the health and safety of self or others. Exercising this right is a serious decision that should not be taken lightly and it shouldn’t be used as a routine method of solving workplace problems.

It’s not only the work that may be dangerous. There may be situations or people who may make the work dangerous. For example, if you are required to work at a height with another worker who is afraid of heights, their fear could endanger them or cause a situation that presents danger to you. As well, if you are required to perform a task with a member of your team who is not fit for work, you have a right to refuse to work with them.

If you choose to exercise the right to refuse, you will need to do the following:

• Tell your supervisor what is unsafe about the work. Your supervisor must take corrective action if they agree with your concern, or explain why they disagree.
• If you are not satisfied with your supervisor’s actions/explanations and your workplace has a health and safety committee or representative, advise them of the situation. The committee can conduct an investigation on your behalf and provide a decision on their findings. If they agree with you, they can make recommendations to the employer to correct the situation.
• If you are unsatisfied with the committee recommendations or there is no committee or representative in your workplace, contact your local health and safety officer in your province. If the officer disagrees with you, they can instruct you to return to work. If you disagree with the officer’s decision, you have a right to appeal the decision with your jurisdiction.

The employer has the right to temporarily reassign you to perform other work while the investigation is being conducted and to reassign another worker to perform the work but they must inform them that the work was previously refused.

If you have questions or need assistance with your right to refuse or other issues in your workplace, don’t hesitate contact your GSU staff representative.

If you have questions about your OH&S rights at work, don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep. Their services are provided to you and paid for by your union dues. There is no limit on the times you can seek assistance and there is never an additional charge to you. All inquiries are strictly confidential.

The Moose Hide Campaign stands up against violence towards women and children.

Those wearing a small patch of hide pinned to their clothing you are participating in the Moose Hide Campaign and committing to honour, respect, and protect the women and children in their lives. In addition, this patch demonstrates that the wearer commits to work to end violence against women and children.

The Moose Hide Campaign is an Indigenous-led grassroots movement of men, boys and all Canadians standing up to end violence against women and children. Women, girls and all genders are also very much welcome to support the campaign and its goals.

In joining the campaign as men and boys, a promise is made to:

• stand up with women and children and speak out against violence towards them,
• support each other as men and hold each other accountable,
• teach young boys about the true meaning of love and respect and be healthy role models for them, and
• heal as men and support our brothers on their healing journey.

To learn more or order your own moose hide pin, visit moosehidecampaign.ca