Over the last couple of weeks Viterra and the Grain Services Union have been working with a conciliator to reach a mutually acceptable agreement for the Regina Office and the Saskatchewan Country Operations and Maintenance bargaining units. We requested the assistance of a conciliator in order to assist the parties We’re pleased that a tentative agreement has been reached and the GSU will take this agreement to its membership for a vote in the next few weeks.
Author of the article: Bruce Johnstone • Regina Leader-Post Published Apr 19, 2016 • Last updated Jun 02, 2020 • 2 minute read Join the conversationYou can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.
The Grain and General Services Union (GSU) and Viterra Inc. have reached a tentative settlement covering more than 500 unionized employees of the Regina-based grain handling company, GSU said in a press release Monday.
The tentative agreement, which is subject to approval by GSU members and senior Viterra management, was reached late Friday with the assistance of federal conciliator Michelle Glubrecht, a union spokesman said.
Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.
Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.
If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is included in your subscription. Activate your Online Access Now
Article content“We were pretty much locked into our positions last Thursday and Friday,” Hugh Wagner, general secretary of the GSU, said in an interview Monday. “I think her contribution was very positive.”
Wagner said the membership will starting voting on the tentative settlement in a week or two. “There are areas where we wanted to see better and more, but then again there usually is,” Wagner said. “We felt we reached a point where we could take something back to the members, with a recommendation that they accept. Of course, the final judgment rests with them. ”
Details of the settlement will not be released until the voting is complete and the necessary documents are finalized. GSU’s bargaining committee intends to have the voting completed by mid-May or earlier if possible.
“If the members approve (the tentative deal) it can’t be anything but positive,” Wagner said. “We didn’t get everything we wanted, but then again we never do.”
The Saskatchewan country operations and maintenance bargaining unit has about 425 unionized employees, who work at Viterra’s inland grain terminals and elevators, while the Regina office bargaining unit has about 85 members .
Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article contentKyle Jeworski, president and CEO of Viterra, also thanked the conciliator for helping the two sides arrive “at a common understanding of what is best for our collective agreements, our employees and our business.”
“We’re pleased that a tentative agreement has been reached and the GSU will take this agreement to its membership for a vote in the next few weeks,” Jeworski said in a statement.
The previous collective agreement expired Oct. 31, 2015. By law, and because grain handling work necessarily covers several provinces, the federal government’s labour officials have jurisdiction, rather than the provincial government and its conciliation branch.
Wagner said Viterra and the GSU began talking in August, started formal negotiations in October and met again in January.
With files from Will Chabun, Regina Leader-Post
