WINNIPEG – Manitoba liquor workers begin voting tonight on possible strike action, but there’s still hope a holiday season shut-down of the province’s Liquor Marts can be avoided.
The union representing Manitoba’s 868 liquor workers and the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation failed to reach a deal in talks Wednesday, but have scheduled another round of negotiations for December 4th.
Employees rejected a contract offer from the Crown-owned liquor distribution and sale corporation earlier this month. The Manitoba Government and General Employees union says the proposed contract offered a “modest” wage increase but also demanded concessions on benefits.
The MGEU says the strike vote, starting tonight and going to December 2, will go ahead despite the planned negotiations.
“This is not uncommon,” the union says in a notice to members posted on its website Thursday. “If these members vote in favour of a strike, this will result in a ‘strike mandate’ being given to the bargaining committee and it gives the MBLL bargaining committee the authority to establish a date for a strike.”
It’s unclear what date the union would choose for a strike, but the possibility of shutting down the province’s Liquor Mart and Liquor Mart Express stores during the busy holiday party season is a powerful bargaining chip.
The liquor workers’ strike vote begins tonight in The Pas and Thompson and continues into next week at locations throughout the province. Employees in Winnipeg vote Sunday at the Convention Centre.
Comments