January 12, 2021

Calendar highlights and upcoming events:
Local 6 (Wild West Steelhead) bargaining

Bargaining is taking place today in Lucky Lake. The last bargaining session was held on Nov. 26.

GSU Local 6 bargaining committee members are Amber Pearson, Pasha Mughal, Amanda Pearson, and GSU staff rep Dale Markling.

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GSU Convention - Regina, SK - March 18, 19, 20

Are you an elected GSU officer? Watch your email for a convention call and additional convention information. 

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Draft version of new collective agreement available online to Local 15 (Nutrien) members

The draft version of the new Local 15 (Nutrien) collective agreement is now available on GSU's web page at GSU.ca under the Collective Agreements tab. It incorporates the provisions from the Memorandum of Settlement that GSU Local 15 (Nutrien) members voted to accept this past fall.  

This draft has been sent to company representatives for review, approval and signature. Once the final agreed-upon version of the new agreement has been signed by both parties, GSU will print collective agreement booklets and deliver them to members. In the meantime, GSU members have access to a copy to review and work with.

"We appreciate your patience as we finalize your collective agreement and commit to getting this done as soon as practicably possible," union bargaining spokesperson and GSU staff rep Dale Markling said in his Jan. 11 email to Local 15 members. "As always, if members have any questions about their new collective agreement, they shouldn't hesitate to contact a GSU staff representative." 
Severance pay in the event of an employee's death
 
GSU’s collective agreements with several employers including Nutrien, Richardson Pioneer and Viterra have position elimination articles providing income protection measures to employees who find themselves without a job as a result of their position being eliminated.
 
There might be subtle differences in the language of each collective agreement, but one thing all have in common is the ability of affected employees to defer employment termination and receipt of severance pay for six months after the initial 120-day notice of position elimination.
 
Recently a GSU member in Local 2 (Viterra Regina Head Office) received a notice of job elimination and asked whether severance pay was guaranteed to be paid to the employee’s beneficiary or estate in the event of death during the six-month deferral of employment termination and severance pay. 
 
GSU wrote to Viterra management on the union member’s behalf to confirm payment of severance pay to the beneficiary or estate of an employee who has received notice of position elimination and happens to pass away while on a six-month deferral of their employment termination date.
 
In response to GSU’s inquiry, Viterra confirmed that in this type of circumstance payment of deferred severance pay will be made to a deceased employee’s beneficiary or estate.
 
In the meantime, GSU has written to Nutrien and Richardson Pioneer to confirm the same guarantee.

Need advice? Call GSU

Contacting GSU doesn't mean you are obligated to file a grievance. We will work with you to find answers to your questions, recommend what course of action is best to follow, and work with you to find the solutions that work for you.

These services are provided to you as part of your union dues. There is no additional charge for assisting you.

Local 5 (Western Producer) members vote to accept tentative settlement

On Jan. 5, the members of GSU Local 5 (Western Producer Publications) voted to accept the terms of the memorandum of settlement that was reached shortly before Christmas.

The settlement provides for salary increases of 1%, 1%, and 1.25% in the first, second and third years of the collective agreement, respectively. The bargaining committee acknowledges the increases are slightly below the cost of living. 

"This has been a tough set of negotiations with the print industry hurting and COVID-19 hitting on top of that,” said Sharlene Tetrault, union bargaining committee member and president of GSU Local 5. “Our preference would have been higher salary increases, but we were able to convince the company that their most regressive proposals for new employees were not going to be accepted by our membership."

“I’m proud of the way my fellow members stood together for future members. We were able to reach a settlement both parties could live with in the end, and we look forward to seeing the Company implement changes discussed at the table.”

Work is underway to incorporate the terms of the memorandum of settlement into the new collective agreement and have it reviewed and signed by union and company representatives. Agreement booklets will then be printed and distributed to Local 5 members.

GSU Local 5 bargaining committee members are Sharlene Tetrault, Michelle Houlden, and GSU staff rep Dale Markling.

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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.