Workers walk at BC liquor distribution centres
Posted July 3, 2012 7:21 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – A one-day strike by members of the BC Government and Service Employees Union is underway at three Liquor Distribution Branch centres around the province.
Staff set up picket lines late last night and walkouts began this morning at the centre on East Broadway in Vancouver, along with centres in Victoria and Kamloops, but union head Darryl Walker says that could change.
“There will be more coming if we don’t get some kind of change to the mandate,” stresses Walker. “We’re simply not going to accept what is on the table right now.”
This 24-hour strike doesn’t affect your ability to buy liquor at government liquor stores, only at the distribution centres.
The BCGEU’s current contract with the government ended on March 31st, and negotiations have been on-going. At issue is wages, as the union says it just wants to catch up to the cost of living.
The union is seeking a 3.5 per cent wage hike in the first year and a cost of living increase in the second, while the provincial government has offered two per cent and 1.5 per cent over a two year pact.
Last week, Finance Minister Kevin Falcon that a “generous” offer had been made and any strike action would mean the proposal is withdrawn and subsequent offers likely won’t be as lucrative for the union.
The BCGEU represents roughly 25,000 provincial government workers across the province.
