Category Archives: We’re working on it

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: job reclassification

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Staff rep Steve Torgerson has been in contact with GSU members who think their duties and responsibilities have increased to the point where a job reclassification may be in order. Steve is working with them to put the information together and start the dialogue with the company.

If you have questions about a workplace issue or if you are experiencing problems in the workplace, contact your GSU staff.

GSU staff reps will help find answers to your questions, but we won’t act on your behalf without your direction and approval.

Contact information for GSU staff is available here.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: eligibility for sick leave benefits

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A GSU member contacted staff rep Lawrence Maier regarding eligibility for sick leave benefits. 

The member was deducted vacation and earned time off for overtime for a number of doctor and specialist appointments while dealing with a serious illness. 

The member gave permission for Lawrence to talk to management and attempt to resolve the matter. Management is reviewing the situation, and if a positive answer isn’t received soon, further action will be taken to provide the benefits that the employee has earned and deserves.

Contact a GSU staff rep with your questions and concerns. We will work with you to find answers to your questions, find solutions that work for you, and we won’t act on your behalf without your direction and approval. 

Contact information for GSU staff is available here.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Stable, reliable shift schedules. Bring your suggestions to your annual meeting

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One thing that makes shift work bearable is having a set schedule worked out far in advance. Shift workers plan their lives around days off. Working nights and weekends puts a great strain on daily living, and especially family life. Having and following a clear, well-defined, consistent plan lets shift workers set appointments, reserve family time, and make the best of their difficult changes from days to nights and inconsistent days off.

Last minute changes to employees’ schedules leaves employees scrambling to reorganize their responsibilities for months. Day care, vacations, appointments – all the things workers on shift must coordinate far in advance have to be rescheduled, and that can be difficult or even impossible when you only have a few hours’ notice.  

“With GSU’s annual meetings coming up, and a number of collective agreements set to open, members should make a real effort to bargain notice provisions that respect their right to have a stable, reliable shift schedule,” says GSU staff representatives Lawrence Maier.

Do you have concerns about shift work? Bring them to your annual meeting or contact your GSU staff rep with your questions, observations, and concerns.

Contact information for our staff reps is available here. 

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: clarification on temporary performance of higher duties

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A GSU member has requested clarification on the “Temporary Performance of Higher Duties” provision of their collective agreement.  The employee feels they are performing duties that are above the job description set out for their position.

When employees are assigned to do duties that are above their job description, they are entitled to be paid the proper rate of pay for the period they are assigned to the increased responsibility. GSU staff rep Lawrence Maier is looking into the matter and will be communicating with the member before any further action is taken.

Contact your GSU staff rep for assistance with questions or concerns.

Your inquiry will be treated with strict confidentiality. Contact information for our staff reps is available here.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Attending a day-long customer service event – should it be a paid day or a vacation day?

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An employee was told to take a client on a day-long customer service event. When the employee subsequently found out they weren’t being paid for the day and brought it to the attention of the company, it was suggested to the employee that a vacation day be used.  

The employee contacted the union office for clarification and GSU staff rep Steve Torgerson is working to resolve the issue.

Contact your GSU staff rep for assistance with questions or concerns. 

Your inquiry will be treated with strict confidentiality. Contact information for our staff reps is available here. 

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Viterra’s payroll system and the Canada Day stat holiday

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When a stat or general holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday employees are entitled to a day off in lieu, such as the Friday before the holiday or the Monday following.

When a stat or general holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday employees who are required to work on the day as part of their regular shift are entitled to time-and-a-half for all hours worked – even though they get a day off work in lieu as was the case this year when Canada Day fell on a Saturday.

A number of GSU members working at the Viterra terminal elevator in Saskatoon (GSU Local 1) were assigned and did work on Saturday, July 1. They received Monday, July 3 as a day off in lieu. However, it appears the payroll system might not have appropriately compensated them for working on the actual stat holiday.

The affected union members contacted GSU and general secretary Hugh Wagner raised the issue with Viterra HR. After some initial communication back and forth, Viterra HR advised that it was going to review how the payroll system had handled the situation and any employees who were not paid in accordance with Article 22 of the collective agreement will have their pay adjusted. As this article is being written the situation is still being reviewed and a resolution is expected in the near future.

“It is always important for union members to assert their rights whenever they believe they are being short changed. The initial contact and conversation are essential to making sure employees receive the full benefit of the collective agreement bargained with their employer,” said GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner. “One of the basic tenets of working in a unionized workplace is the right to union representation in dealings with the employer.”

Contact your GSU staff rep for assistance with questions or concerns.

Your inquiry will be treated with strict confidentiality. Contact information for our staff reps is available here. 

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: helping a member file a sick leave claim with WCB

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GSU staff rep Lawrence Maier is helping a GSU member prepare and file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Board. The member contacted GSU for assistance after receiving the results of a hearing test and an audiologist’s recommendation that he file a sick leave claim with WCB.

Contact our GSU staff reps for assistance with company management, insurance companies, or government agencies like EI and Workers’ comp. 

Your inquiry will be treated with strict confidentiality. GSU staff rep services are provided to you as part of your union dues and there is no additional charge for assisting you. Contact information for our staff reps is available here.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: members who are struggling with a difficult workplace environment

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GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner is working with a group of GSU members who are struggling with a difficult workplace environment. Meetings have been held and the work is ongoing as Wagner has proposed a process to the employer for addressing the members’ concerns.

GSU is very concerned about the workplace environment and will do whatever it can to help union members address workplace issues. The right to a safe and healthy workplace is and should be a priority for all.

Do you have a question, comment or concern? Call a GSU staff rep.

Your inquiry will be treated with the strictest confidentiality. Staff rep services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you. Contact information for GSU staff reps is available here. 

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Members are challenging their rates of pay

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GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner is  working with members who have challenged their rates of pay and are seeking to have same raised. 

Do you have a concern about a workplace issue or questions about your collective agreement? 

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.

 

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: we are monitoring a worrying trend regarding health and safety issues

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GSU staff reps are monitoring a potentially worrying trend regarding health and safety issues and an employer who seems to have chosen a disciplinary path to compliance with safety rules. 

“You can’t have a rigid policy for every conceivable task being performed,” said GSU staff rep Lawrence Maier. “The pressure to increase production and constantly assigning duties that are beyond an employee’s job description and training makes the workplace more dangerous. Punishing workers for an accident only does one thing: it makes them reluctant to report accidents for fear of reprisal.”

Always make sure you are trained to do the task at hand. 

Never let pressure to get the job done lead to cutting corners. Bring up safety concerns at your safety meetings, and if they aren’t addressed, report it. You have the right to refuse to do work that you think may be imminently dangerous to your health and safety. Don’t let pressure to “get the job done” lead to an injury that could change your life.

No question or problem is too small to discuss with a GSU staff rep.

The role of a staff rep is to help union members and we are here to assist you in any way we can. Don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff rep when you need clarification, interpretation, or assistance.

Staff reps can be reached toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 (Regina) or 1.855.384.7314 (Saskatoon). Additional contact information is available here.

 

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: Rates of Pay

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Recently two employees from different parts of CPS’s unionized operations in Saskatchewan approached GSU in connection with their rates of pay. Each of the employees had transferred into GSU membership from employment with CPS outside the scope of the GSU bargaining unit. Both employees discovered that they were being paid an annual salary considerably lower than co-workers in the same job classification or pay grade.

Although the facts of each situation are quite different, it appears that each of the employees has a sound claim to upward adjustment of their rate of pay. The two complaints have been taken up with CPS’s HR Manager and are being worked on by GSU general secretary, Hugh Wagner.

Your GSU staff reps are here to assist you in any way they can.

Don’t hesitate to call us with your work-related questions and concerns. Staff reps can be reached toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 (Regina) or 1.855.384.7314 (Saskatoon) or through additional contact information available  here.

WE’RE WORKING ON IT: members received Article 24, contacted by EI and told to pay back EI benefits received during layoff

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Some members from CPS who received Article 24 – notice of position elimination, have been contacted by EI and told that they must pay back EI benefits received during their layoff. This generally happens only when the member continues to collect EI after their six month layoff.

When employees request that their severance be paid out at the end of their six month layoff, the company sends a new record of employment to EI noting that the employee has received severance. If the employee has not ended their claim before they apply for severance, EI treats them as if they had the right to access severance from the start of the layoff and may send out a notice that all EI benefits must be repaid.

To avoid this situation, make sure to end your EI claim a day or two before you apply for severance.

Be aware that if you go past the six months on layoff, you may forfeit your right to receive severance.

The Union will be appealing the repayment for the employees involved. 

Do you need assistance addressing this issue or another problem in your workplace? Contact a GSU staff representative.

No problem is too small. Identifying problems as soon as they arise benefits everyone. Call us toll-free if you have a question or a problem you would like addressed. Call 1.866.522.6686 (Regina) or 1.855.384.7314 (Saskatoon).