Workers at one of British Columbia’s best-known breweries have voted to strike.
Unionized workers at Granville Island Brewing have been without a contract since the end of May, and say talks with the employer broke down in June.
The brewery is owned by a subsidiary of global beverage giant Molson-Coors.
The union representing the workers, Service Employees International Union Local 2, says the workers are pressing on two key issues, wages and job security.
Unionized employees start at a wage of $16.75 per hour, while most on staff are making $20.97, neither of which is enough to live on with Vancouver’s surging cost of living, the union says.
It also claims the brewery is trying to hire lower-wage, non-union temporary workers for the position of brewer’s assistant, something they say violates their collective agreement, an allegation the company denies.
Unionized workers perform a variety of jobs at the brewery, including retail, beer sales, brewery production and canning.
Workers say they could be on the picket line as early as Saturday.
Global News is seeking comment from Molson-Coors.
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