National Day for Truth & Reconciliation

Fighting for justice in Alberta and at the bargaining table…

As we embark on major bargaining for our Safeway members, your union is taking stock of an important priority: wider recognition for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

“Truth and reconciliation is one of the most important measures for social justice in Canada today,” says President Thomas Hesse of Local 401. “Just as our national union has made it a major priority, our local is placing it front and center as a priority at the bargaining table.”

“The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation recognizes a history that affects every community in Canada,” adds Secretary-Treasurer Richelle Stewart. “The children who were lost in the residential school system, and the families and communities that continue to feel the impact of that legacy, are key to any organization that stands for the cause of social justice.”

Your union sees it as our responsibility to go beyond just acknowledging this day. We must also champion its recognition as a holiday in workplaces across our province. This is something that we have done and will continue to do in bargaining, with Sobey’s and beyond. 

Recognition at the Bargaining Table

Smudging ceremony with President Tom Hesse, Nathan LeBlanc-Fortin and Ron Klassen / Waboos.

The first day of bargaining for our Safeway members takes place on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Our delegation at the table has ceremonially honoured the day, and we are also making the day a bargaining priority.

Thanks to the efforts of our union, there are almost twenty workplaces in Alberta that recognize this important day as a paid holiday for their employees in their Collective Bargaining Agreements. Members whose contracts contain this recognition work in various industries, including milling, malting, and distilling, as well as hospitality, healthcare, casinos, and other sectors.

We will seek such inclusion in bargaining with Sobey’s, and we will also seek the inclusion of a formal Land Acknowledgement in the language of the collective agreement.

For some time, seeking formal recognition of September 30 as a paid holiday has been a priority that UFCW 401 negotiators have pursued at the bargaining table. While wage increases, strengthened benefits, and improved working conditions are always top of mind, your union is always pushing to provide our members with opportunities for reflection that are afforded to other workers across Canada.

A federal statutory holiday that is automatically recognized in federally regulated workplaces, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is not yet a provincially recognized day.   

As we fight for fair wages and benefits for our members who are confronting the affordability crisis, we will also fight for dignity, justice, and the recognition of Truth and Reconciliation at even more workplaces across Alberta.

How You Can Observe the Day

There are many ways to mark the day.

There are plenty of ways to learn more about the issues and the history that’s commemorated by the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation.

You can sign up for our inspiring Indigenous Rights & Activism course. An introduction to the culture, history, and lived experience of indigenous people, it’s a gateway to a lifetime of forming allyships with and continuing to learn more about our First Nations and their rich and varied background and perspectives.

There are also dozens of other learning resources you can access, including everything from courses to podcasts, that can introduce you to First Nations topics from a variety of angles.

Remember to keep checking your e-mail and to stay tuned for more news about your union’s efforts to forward the cause of Truth and Reconciliation and the widening recognition of this important day. Safeway members should stay tuned for further developments regarding our other bargaining priorities.

Posted on: September 30,2025