April 27, 2023
Dear members:
April 28th is the National Day of Mourning.
Across Canada, April 28 has been designated the Day of Mourning. Each year, workers, families, employers, and communities across the province remember those who have lost their lives on the job, and we all renew our commitment to creating healthy and safe workplaces.
Workplace injuries and illnesses claimed the lives of 181 B.C. workers last year.
The Day of Mourning, also known as Workers' Memorial Day, is officially recognized in about 100 countries worldwide.
Canadian flags on Parliament Hill fly at half-mast on April 28th. The day is traditionally marked in many ways including holding public ceremonies, wearing black and yellow ribbons, lighting candles, observing a moment of silence at 11:00 a.m. and sharing stories about how workplace tragedies have touched peoples' lives.
The Canadian Labour Congress in collaboration with Western University produced a research report “Harassment and Violence in Canadian Workplaces: It’s (Not) Part of the Job” which notes:
1) not everyone experiences harassment and violence in the same way,
2) marginalized workers are subject to higher rates of harassment and violence, and
3) workers who experience harassment and violence face barriers to reporting and often do not get the support they are entitled to.
At the FSA we care about your health and safety. UFV has a Joint Occupational Health & Safety Committee. Our Co-Chair to this committee is Opeyemi Adesina. He has recently shared his report (see FSA bulletin from April 17), but it is worth reminding everyone:
As an employee, you have the right to refuse unsafe work without any penalty. You also have the right to invest work hours in learning about the hazards of your job and being trained in health and safety practices.
You can find out more about UFV’s safety programs at https://www.ufv.ca/safety-and-security/safety-programs/
If you feel unsafe in your work environment, here are the reporting guidelines to make a record of it https://www.ufv.ca/safety-and-security/report-incident/
If you need immediate help, do the following:
- In an emergency, always call 911 first (9-911 from a campus phone)
- For first aid assistance, call 1-855-282-7770 (local 7770)
- For security, call 1-855-239-7654 (local 7654)
Please don’t ever hesitate to alert us to any concerns to your health and safety. Worker representatives are:
Abbotsford Committee Members: Opeyemi Adesina, Sarah Xiyan Hou, Carrie Paproski, and Stacie Dixon (on leave)
Chilliwack Committee Members: Don Weitzel, Joel Feenstra, Terry Starr, and Spenser Julseth-White
If your health & safety concerns also intersect with your identity, please feel free to contact any of these folks too:
Satwinder Bains – VP Equity
Lauren Couture – Gender Equity Rep
Toni Latour – Non-Regular Employee Rep
Maggi Davis/ Chantel Watt – Decolonization, Reconciliation, and Indigenization Rep
In Solidarity,
Lauren Couture
FPSE Gender Equity Rep, UFV-FSA
