(first published in Nova Scotia Advocate, May 2021, updated)

The good news is that the annual May Two-Four weekend, a.k.a. the Victoria Day holiday weekend,  is coming up.  And a bit of rain — to dampen down fire risk — has been ordered. The bad news is, unless you are covered by a collective agreement at your workplace, you will probably NOT get Monday off with pay.  More bad news — if you do work that day, you earn only straight time: there is no special pay for working this Monday.

Another punitive holiday courtesy of the NS Government

This is because Victoria Day, which is celebrated on Monday, May 20 this year, is not one of the measly six paid holidays in Nova Scotia.  

Garden centres, restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores and so forth will be open on Victoria Day. That is because Victoria Day is not one of the nine days that the provincial government declares a retail closing day, as per the Retail Business Designated Day Closing Act. Retail closing days are ones in which stores must be closed, yet the employees are not necessarily paid for the day off. For example, Boxing Day is a retail closing day — but not a paid holiday.

If you get this Monday, Victoria Day, off with pay– thank your union –- better still get actively involved in your union. If you don’t get the day off as a paid holiday, consider asking a union to represent you and your fellow workers. That way the union can negotiate for you to get the Monday of the May Two-Four  weekend as a paid holiday.

Featured image: Primavera, by Sandro Botticelli (Italian), late 1470s or early 1480s, tempera on panel, 202 x 314 cm. Primavera can be seen at the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. (credit: Wikipedia)