Do you need help with an issue in your workplace?
Talk to a GSU staff rep. Call GSU toll-free: 1.866.522.6686.
All calls are strictly confidential. GSU does not subscribe to call display.

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January 23 to 27 at GSU:

• staff rep Lawrence Maier conducted facility visitations in the east corner of Saskatchewan on Tuesday
  
• general secretary Hugh Wagner met with Local 8 bargaining committee members Wednesday. Union and management bargaining committees will attend the bargaining meeting scheduled for Thursday in Regina
• on Thursday evening GSU Local 7 (Heartland) reps and staff rep Lawrence Maier are holding a conference call to finalize bargaining propoals 
•   staff rep Steve Torgerson is meeting with Local 2 (Viterra head office) officers today to discuss bargaining meetings and the recent salary increases
•   Hugh Wagner is attending a Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board meeting Friday morning and meeting with a GSU member in the afternoon

Updated January 27

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Save Jasper National Park

In days the Harper government could privatise a part of Jasper National Park and launching development in the pristine Rockies and a fee for use for many visitors. All to profit a US company.

Click here to learn more and sign the petition.

Updated January 27

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We're still waiting! GSU application for certification - Viterra Feed Mill in Chilliwack

The certification application filed by GSU in late September has been processed by the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) office in Vancouver and sent to the Board’s attention in Ottawa.

This has taken much longer than estimated. We hope the process will result in a positive answer from the CIRB before too much more time passes.

In the meantime, if Viterra Feed Mill employees have issues or concerns about the workplace please contact Hugh Wagner or Lawrence Maier. They can be reached toll free at 1.866.522.6686 or by sending an email to gsu.regina@sasktel.net.

Read background information on GSU's application to represent Viterra Feed Mill (Chilliwack) employees here.

Updated January 23

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Nominations for Directors of the GSU Defense Fund

Delegates to GSU’s 2012 Policy Convention will elect five members of the union to be Directors on the five-person Board of Directors of the GSU Defense Fund.
 
The GSU Convention will be held in the Cedar Lodge at Blackstrap resort (near Dundurn, Sask.) starting at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 22 and adjourning at 1:30 pm on Saturday, March 24, 2012.
 
GSU members do not have to be delegates to the 2012 Policy Convention in order to be candidates for election to the GSU Defense Fund Board of Directors; however, all candidates must be members of GSU in good standing and must be employed in a certified GSU bargaining unit. Current Directors are eligible for re-election.
 
Members who are elected to the Joint Executive Council of GSU are not eligible for election to the Defense Fund Board of Directors. Of the five Defense Fund Directors to be elected at the 2012 GSU Convention, three must be from Local 1 (Viterra Ops/Maintenance) and/or Local 2 (Viterra Head Office).

If you are interested in becoming a GSU Defense Fund director - or if you would like more information on the responsibilities of a director  - contact GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner by email at gsu.wagner@sasktel.net or by phoning toll-free at 1.866.522.6686 in Regina.

Updated January 12

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Highest-paid Canadian CEOs got 27 percent pay hike

"By noon on Tuesday, Jan. 3, the highest-paid chief executives officers in Canada will have earned as much as the average Canadian makes in an entire year, according to a new report."  thestar.com

Read the story here.

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Seasonal layoff? Don't wait to apply for EI benefits

GSU members working for Viterra

A number of Viterra employees have received layoff notices in the last few weeks.

Mark Crawford at the Unemployed Workers Help Centre in Regina advises employees to apply for EI benefits as soon as possible after layoff. Viterra files their employee’s Record of Employment electronically. You do not receive a copy. Waiting to file your claim can result in delays and missed weeks of coverage.
 
GSU members working for other employers

GSU members who do not work for Viterra and who’s employer files paper Records of Employment should wait until they receive the ROE before they apply, unless it takes more than two weeks to receive it. If you have waited two weeks for your ROE and it has not arrived, apply for EI anyway and let them know you have not received the ROE.
Call your Staff Rep if you have any EI questions.

Problems with your EI claim? Contact the Unemployed Workers Centre

The Unemployed Workers Help Centre is a non-profit organization providing information and advocacy services on Employment Insurance. This service is open to everyone in need and no fees are charged for any service. Among other things, they will help you by:

• advising you of your rights and obligations
• mediating between you and the Employment Insurance Commission
• helping to prepare and present your EI appeal.

Regina Unemployed Workers Help Centre 1888 Angus Street Regina, SK S4T 1Z4 Phone 306.525.5138 Fax 306.525.5148 email: m.crawford@sasktel.net

Unemployed Workers Help Centre 2154 Airport Drive Saskatoon, SK S7L 6M6 Phone 306.382.8662 Fax 306.978.7815 email e.keser@sasktel.net

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Former GSU member - Ken Selinger - rescues fishers trapped on ice

Former GSU member and officer Ken Selinger's quick thinking helped ice fishers who were stranded near open water on Last Mountain Lake.

Read more here:http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/

Updated December 22

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December 21 bargaining update - AEA/GSU Local 8 members (Regina plant)

The AEA/GSU Local 8 bargaining committee met with Company management on December 20.

Some progress was made on a couple of key issues and management was presented with an outline of a possible settlement to consider. A key issue is wage rate parity with the Saskatoon plant. 
 
The December 20 bargaining meeting was the seventh since bargaining began on November 23. It is anticipated that bargaining will resume the first week of January 2012 when your committee will hear company management's response.
   
The AEA/GSU bargaining committee is Doug Murray, president; Albert Buttner, vice-president; Brad Millard, secretary-treasurer; Ron Gerlock, OH&S co-chair; and GSU general secretary, Hugh Wagner. 

We wish you a happy holiday season and all the best for 2012.

If you have any questions please contact one of the executive committee members or inquire by email to
gsu.regina@sasktel.net.

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Pension experts call for expanded CPP

Many Canadians likely have inadequate savings to maintain standards of living in retirement.

A group of leading experts on pension reform in Canada is urging Canada’s finance ministers to commit to expanding the Canada Pension Plan as the best means available to provide retirement security for Canadians.

Read the text of the letter on our web page here.
Read a pdf of the experts letter here. [PDF format]

Posted December 15

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Here is Viterra's updated November 1, 2011, wage schedule

Have a look and call your GSU rep if you have questions or concerns.

Viterra's Nov. 1, 2011 wage schedule [PDF format]
Viterra's Nov. 1, 2011 wage schedule [Microsoft Excel file]

Posted December 9

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Viterra to appeal court decision on vacation pay on overtime paid to employees

Viterra has advised that it intends to appeal the November 23, 2011, decision of the Saskatchewan Court of Queen’s Bench upholding the arbitration award in favour of two GSU executive grievances challenging unilateral changes by company management to reduce the calculation of vacation pay on overtime paid to employees.

Despite agreeing in its collective agreements with GSU that a unanimous or majority arbitration decision shall be final and binding and having lost its bid to overturn the arbitration award at the Court of Queen’s Bench, Viterra will now go to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal in yet another attempt to avoid what it should have done in the first place.

On being informed of Viterra’s decision, GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner wrote the following to company management.

“GSU members who are directly affected and union members generally will be profoundly disappointed by the company’s decision and the apparent refusal to accept a just and binding arbitration decision which was upheld on all counts by the Court of Queen’s Bench.

The resources spent by the company in fighting this matter could have been better invested in preventing layoffs and helping employees who have not been laid off in operations to avoid some of the incredibly long hours they are working.

We’ll see you in court.”

It is unlikely that Viterra’s appeal will be heard before late spring or early summer 2012. Meanwhile the meter keeps running and at last count, Viterra owed more than $275,000 in vacation pay to a considerable number of employees’ in GSU bargaining units who  received vacation pay on their overtime pay based on their vacation accrual rate .

GSU will be represented at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal by union legal counsel Ronni Nordal and general secretary Hugh Wagner.

Updates will be circulated by GSU as developments occur.

Read background information on the arbitration award here.

Updated December 8

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AEA/GSU Local 8 bargaining report to be given at Dec. 16 meeting

The AEA/GSU Local 8 bargaining committee held its most recent bargaining meetings with Company management on November 29. A further bargaining meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 8.

To date none of the issues or proposals have been agreed to or resolved. An effort by your Committee on November 29 to move matters along more rapidly has not yet produced results.

Be sure to attend the annual meeting of the Regina local which will be held on Friday, December 16, 2011 at Vicky's Cafe, 101 Hodsman Road in Regina. A detailed meeting notice will be posted on your bulletin board soon. A bargaining report will be given at the meeting.

Read the Dec. 16 meeting notice in English here.
Read the Dec. 16 meeting notice in Vietnamese here.

Read previous bargaining updates here.
Read the bargaining proposals here.


If you have any questions please contact one of the executive committee members or inquire by email to
gsu.regina@sasktel.net.

   Doug Murray, President
   Albert Buttner, Vice President
   Brad Millard, Secretary Treasurer
   Ron Gerlock, OH&S Co-Chair
   AEA/GSU Local 8

Updated December 6

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Update:  Hugh Wagner and GSU staff representatives will meet with Viterra management regarding employment equity on Dec. 8


Viterra Employment Equity initiative
 
On November 23 Viterra Inc. CEO, Mr. Mayo Schmidt, announced the company’s new employment equity initiative via an email broadcast to employees of the company.
 
GSU supports employment equity and is taking steps to ensure that employees in the union’s bargaining units are fully represented in the development and implementation of the employment equity processes.
 
GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner sent the following communications to Viterra management on this subject and look forward to the company’s positive reply:

Wagner to Ms. Jolene Jorejda - Nov. 23, 2011
Wagner to Ms. Jolene Jorejda - Nov. 24, 2011
 

Let us know what you think and how employment equity can work for you.

Send your comments/opinions on this subject to GSU at gsu.regina@sasktel.net or call toll free to 1.866.522.6686.

Updated November 24

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GSU News - Issue 5 was sent to members on November 14.

Referenced documents:

2011 GSU scholarship and bursary recipients and their winning essays

If you didn't receive your newsletter that means we don't have your address. Update your address information with Brittany at GSU's Regina office. Phone 1.866.522.6686 toll-free or email Brittany at gsu.weber@sasktel.net.




 A copy of GSU general secretary Hugh Wagner's report to GSU officers and members is available here.


The General Secretary's report was reviewed and approved by GSU's Joint Executive Council at their September 15 and 16 meeting in Regina.

Please take this opportunity to review the report and contact the union office with any questions or concerns you may have. This report will also be available for review at your upcoming annual general membership meeting.

If you have problems viewing the PDF link above, read the report on-line here.

Post updated Nov. 22

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