UFCW 1518 is calling on the operator of FreshCo Kamloops to grant store workers a statutory holiday on September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day. In May 2021, the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation confirmed that they had uncovered the remains of 215 children buried at the former Kamloops Residential “School.” Many more unmarked graves have since been confirmed at former residential “school” sites around the country. ...read more 

UFCW 1518 is calling on BC’s largest grocery chains to grant their workers a statutory holiday on September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day. In July, the federal government created a federal holiday that recognizes the dark legacy of settler colonialism in Canada. The day is an opportunity to reflect on the impacts of the residential school system on Indigenous Canadians. Federal government workers will have a ...read more 

UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak sent a letter on August 25 to Save-On-Foods President Darrell Jones, Sobeys CEO Michael Medline, Sobeys Vice President, Labour Relations Andrew Follwell and others calling on them to grant their employees a day off or statutory holiday pay for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. In July, the federal government announced that September 30 would become a holiday for federal government employees to ...read more 

Today, the Government of British Columbia announced that anyone entering several types of businesses will need to provide proof of vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. These businesses include indoor ticketed sporting events and concerts, restaurants (patio or inside dining), fitness centers and gyms, and many other locations. UFCW 1518 is concerned that grocery stores, retail environments, and cannabis stores were not included in the government announcement. Workers in these ...read more 

With the provincial government announcing that it is developing a permanent paid sick leave program for all BC workers, UFCW 1518 wants to ensure that gig workers are able to reap the benefits of the new program. Due to their classification as “independent contractors,” the union is concerned that the new program, which will come into effect on January 1, 2022, will only apply to workers classified as “employees.” ...read more