Delegates from GSU Local 14 met in Regina on June 22 and 23 for a post-bargaining debrief, union education and the delegates annual meeting.

The first session of the meeting focused on agreement renewal bargaining and the recent settlement with Richardson Pioneer wherein a majority of Local 14 members narrowly accepted a final offer from the employer. The delegates had a frank discussion about the recent bargaining experience and the response by members at their locations. Based on the discussion, the meeting began to lay out a plan for strengthening members’ engagement and representation over the balance of the new collective agreement term as well as building a foundation for a strong collective bargaining response to issues confronting members.

Day two of the meeting focused on building capacity for delegates and GSU to offer improved representation to Local 14 members. The annual meeting portion of the gathering resulted in the election of Jerid Clark (White City) and Curtis Shiels (Melville) to be Local 14’s representatives on GSU’s Joint Executive Council (board of directors).

On the afternoon of June 23, delegates from Locals 1 (Viterra Operations and Maintenance) and Local 2 (Viterra Head Office) joined the assembly for a joint education session focused on conflict resolution and effective communication.

“Meetings such as this are an integral part of GSU’s commitment to workplace democracy,” said GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson. “Gathering representatives from the various locations and Locals to share their experiences and get to know one another is vital to maintaining a representative and responsive union.”

Working in the heat and humidity can have serious consequences.

Working with high temperature is not limited to work outside. Working indoors near a heat source without adequate ventilation could also put you at risk for heat-related medical conditions. Whether you are outside or inside, the hotter and more humid your surroundings the more breaks you need to take.

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

Heat rash
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.

Sunburn
We have all experienced a sunburn or know someone who has. Sunburns 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 and cover the skin if you have to work outside. 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
Heat exhaustion symptoms include profuse sweating, cold, pale, clammy skin; a fast weak pulse, and often nausea or vomiting, muscle cramps, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, headache and even 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) and use cool cloths or a cool bath to bring down body temperature. Sip water but avoid drinking lots of water at once as it 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
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.

Use these tips to keep yourself safe:

• Put on clothing to keep the skin covered.
• Use a high-SPF sunscreen on any exposed areas and wear a hat to help shield your body and head from the sun.
• Drink lots of cool or room temperature water to keep hydrated. Ice cold water may cause stomach cramps and coffee will increase internal body temperature so neither are a preferred choice of fluids during heat exposure.
• Alcohol and sugary drinks are also not a wise choice as they are diuretics and increase dehydration.
• Take breaks away from the heat, preferably in the shade or inside an air-conditioned building.

Click the table below to see a larger-size Canada OH&S table regarding high temperature work and humidity rating.

Unite Here – local 41 members who work at the Super 8 in Moose Jaw have been locked out since March 3 and they need  our help and support.

 The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and the Moose Jaw and District Labour Council are sponsoring a solidarity picket on June 23 at 4:30 p.m. at the Super 8 – 1706 Main Street N. in Moose Jaw.

Your attendance and sharing of this post with others will be greatly appreciated.

The 2021/2022 Annual Report to GSU members by the union’s Joint Executive Council (board of directors) is available to be read and/or downloaded.

• 2021/2022 Annual Report of GSU’s Joint Executive Council

The Annual Report contains important information for GSU members about the business of your union, including the 2021 audited financial statements. GSU prides itself on practicing democracy and transparent administration on behalf of the union’s members.

Reports were recently distributed to members during our spring visitations, but members wanting a hard copy of the report 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 or your GSU staff representative.

GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner will attend the annual meeting of the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board (SLRB) in Regina on May 25.

The SLRB was first established in 1944 to administer the Trade Union Act of Saskatchewan which was the first comprehensive legislation in Canada recognizing the right of workers to belong to and be represented by the union of their choosing. The SLRB is a quasi-judicial body comprised of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and twenty part-time board members. Wagner is one of the ten part-time SLRB members representing workers along with another ten part-time board members representing employers.

Currently the SLRB is primarily responsible for administering Part VI of the Saskatchewan Employment Act which replaced the Trade union Act in 2014. Amongst its mandates the SLRB has exclusive jurisdiction to certify unions as the collective bargaining representative of workers whose employment falls under provincial jurisdiction in Saskatchewan.

The annual meeting of the SLRB oversees the board’s role in carrying out its mandates. Wagner was first appointed to the SLRB in 1995.

It’s hard to miss the news about rising interest rates as central banks react to strong inflationary pressures around the world. Canada is no exception.

By GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner

While raises in the interest rates charged by central banks such as the Bank of Canada grab headlines, a less well-known fact is that interest rates on bonds have been ticking upwards in the markets for some time as investors hedge against inflation. In addition to a rising cost of borrowing, higher long-term interest rates also have a collateral effect on the commuted value of pension benefits in defined benefit pension plans. Higher long-term interest rates translate into lower commuted values for defined benefit pension plans since less money is needed to purchase or pay the monthly pension promised to the pensioner by the pension plan.

GSU members who have not retired and who have a deferred pension benefit in the defined benefit pension plan known as the Viterra Inc. Pension Plan for Grain Services Union (ILWU) Members (or by another name if administered for former Viterra employees on behalf of Nutrien Ag Solutions Ltd or Richardson International Limited) have experienced sticker shock recently as they’ve seen the commuted values of their deferred pension decline significantly, particularly in the last six to 12 months.

The monthly pension guaranteed to the deferred plan members hasn’t declined, but the amount of capital required to purchase their monthly pension benefit has declined in conjunction with rising long-term interest rates.

“Members who were expecting to take a transfer amount instead of a monthly pension when they retire have seen that transfer amount decline and this has caused considerable consternation,“ said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “While long-term interest rates were at historic lows, commuted pension values and therefore transfer amounts were substantially higher than they are at the present time or will be for the foreseeable future.”

“It is hard to say with any certainty how long the upward trend in long term interest rates on bonds will continue, but it is likely to be with us until there is a significant decline in inflationary pressure on the prices we pay for goods and services,” said Wagner. “The best and the only advice I can give to members considering whether and when to cash out the commuted value of their defined pension benefit or to take the monthly pension is to talk to their financial planner.”

By GSU staff rep Donna Driediger

We often hear coworkers, family and friends talk about stress and anxiety as a normal part of a day, but do we understand the difference between the two? And do we really know what a normal amount of stress or anxiety is?

The difference between Stress and Anxiety

Stress is any demand placed on your brain or physical body. An event or scenario that makes you feel frustrated or nervous can trigger it.

Anxiety is a feeling of fear, worry, or unease. While it can occur as a reaction to stress, it can also happen without any obvious trigger.

Both stress and anxiety involve mostly identical symptoms, including but not limited to:

• trouble sleeping
• digestive issues
• difficulty concentrating
• muscle tension
• irritability or anger.

People experience feelings of stress and anxiety at points in time in their lives.

Stress and anxiety can be a helpful motivator to accomplish daunting tasks or do things you’d rather not (but really should do). Unmanaged stress and anxiety can interfere with daily life and take a toll on your mental and physical health.

Stress and anxiety produce a range of physical and psychological symptoms.

The big difference between stress and anxiety is the presence of a specific trigger.

Stress is typically tied to a specific situation. Once that situation resolves, so does your stress. That doesn’t mean stress is always short-lived, though. Chronic stress refers to long lasting stress that occurs in response to ongoing pressure, like a demanding job or family conflict.

Anxiety, by contrast, doesn’t always have a specific stressor.

Not sure whether stress or anxiety is behind your symptoms?

Step back and think of what’s going on in your life right now. What kinds of things do you worry about? Are they specific threats or events? If you can tie your feelings back to a specific trigger, they’re likely the result of stress. If the exact cause isn’t clear, or your symptoms stick around after the initial trigger goes away, it may be anxiety.

An example:

Consider car troubles. Maybe you know you really need new brakes, but you can’t afford to replace them just yet. For the next few weeks, you feel uneasy about driving. What if your brakes fail going down a hill?

What if a cat jumps out and your brakes don’t’ engage? A few weeks later, you have a fresh set of brakes and you’ve stopped worrying about driving safely. In this case, your nervousness was due to stress, triggered by having bad brakes.

Maybe you get your new brakes and don’t really notice a change in your symptoms. You’re still nervous about driving and feel a vague sense of unease that you can’t quite put your finger on. Or, your brakes were never an issue in the first place, but you can’t shake an overall feeling of nervousness about getting on the road. That would be anxiety.

Is feeling stressed or anxious impacting your work life?

Know that GSU is here to assist you in ensuring you have the tools available to have a safe workplace. Work and life stressors and anxiety are a delicate walk to navigate. If you need help, please reach out.

If you are stressed or anxious in your workplace or getting to a point where it is no longer manageable, contact Donna Driediger at Donna@gsu.ca.

We have sent two tickets for the Rush’s April 16 game to Local 1 (Viterra) member Sara Irving. Last week Sara entered our contest by listing swamp pop as something she thought tasted awesome as a child, but considerably less awesome as an adult.

Congratulations, Sara, and thank you to everyone who entered our Rush ticket contests last week and this season. Your answers to our contest questions are always insightful, entertaining and appreciated.

Watch for more contests in the future.

Last week we learned that GSU members love their beef jerky when they entered our contest by telling us their go-to road trip snack. Congratulations to GSU Local 15 (Nutrien) member Chelsea Grimard who can enjoy her favourite pickle/meat/cheese/cracker snack tray on her way to the April 9 Rush game with the two tickets she won in our contest.

We have our last two tickets to give away this Rush season, and they are for the Rush’s April 16 game against the Colorado Mammoth.

Enter our contest and you could win two tickets to the game. To enter, get your answer to the following question to gsu@gsu.ca by noon on April 11.

• What was something you thought tasted awesome as a child, but you realize tastes horrible as an adult?

Good luck in our contest!