This is Truth and Reconciliation Week, and Monday, September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (NDTR).
But you may have questions: what does this day mean, and what does it have to do with our work as a union?
How We Got Here
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), after a thorough process that heard more than 6,500 witnesses, released its final report and 94 Calls to Action (CTA) in 2015. They guide us in reckoning with the impact of residential school system on Indigenous individuals and peoples, and the harm its legacy does to our society, including labour conditions.
PSAC and the whole Labour movement supported calls for this process. Labour continues to urge action on the 94 CTAs, including implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Since the TRC report, Canada has signed the Declaration, but implementation is a complex process of reforming laws and regulations. Indigenous people and allies must keep up the pressure to make it happen faster.
Indigenous workers’ issues are our issues. Oppression of Indigenous peoples included exploitation of Indigenous labour right from the early days of colonization. Today’s racism and systemic disadvantages to Indigenous workers have deep roots that require listening, unlearning, and deliberate action by settlers. The labour movement has a part to play!
What can You Do?
You can learn more, and support action. Find out about ongoing efforts to decolonize Collective Agreements, and our union’s role in reforming the Employment Equity Act. Attend and support NDTR events in your community. Find more resources here: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: Resources for Learning and Reflection | Public Service Alliance of Canada (psacunion.ca and take a moment for reflection and learning on Monday – the TRC process was a big step, but we have a long road ahead.