Bulletin
FBC-September 30, 2021 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 7, 2021
To: All MoveUP Members at FortisBC
On June 3, 2021, the Senate passed the bill that makes September 30, 2021, a designated holiday for all federal employees working at federally regulated work sites. This new holiday does not automatically extend to other employees who do not work in the federal sector.
Provincial employers are not required to provide the new holiday to employees unless the provincial governments recognize it as a province-wide holiday.
On August 3, 2021, the BC Provincial Government formally announced that September 30, 2021, would formally be recognized in BC as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and had advised public employers across the province to honour the new day.
Upon receiving this news, your union contacted FortisBC and inquired as to the Company’s position, we were originally informed that the Company would not be recognizing the day. As a result of further discussions, your union was successful in advocating on behalf of its members. The Company will be providing the members of MoveUP with the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation as a paid statutory holiday.
We encourage members to observe this day and perhaps take some time for reflection and honor the indigenous residential school survivors, their families and communities, as this is imperative and a vital part to the process of reconciliation.
In Solidarity,
Cindy A. Lee
Union Representative