Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries staff continue strike action Sunday

A local business owner says the ongoing strike of unionized staff at provincially-run Liquor Marts in Manitoba is impacting operations.  

More than 1,000 workers have been without a contract since the previous one expired in March 2022. Bargaining teams have been meeting since then, but the job action continued Sunday with liquor store workers in Winnipeg and Brandon continuing to strike, while employees of rural Manitoba locations returned to work. 

"It's just painful to have a restaurant or a bar where we can't buy product to sell to our customers right now," said Ravi Ramberran, the owner of the Four Crowns Restaurant and Hotel, which also runs a beer store. 

Ramberran said although he can get beer, the establishment currently can't get products like vodka, rum, spirits and wine from distributors. He added that it's not fun when someone wants to order a standard drink and they don't have the supplies to make it happen for a customer. 

"We go shopping usually once a week to refresh our stock," he said. "And then for the beer store, we have major liquor deliveries coming in and we saw that we were running out of product ourselves."

"It sucks that we don't have any control over that or any other access to it." 

Natalie Isford was understanding of the situation, even if she couldn't stock up on alcohol before a road trip through the province Sunday. 

Isford said she found out about the strike Saturday and thought the stores would be open. However, she said she wouldn't want to cross a picket line for the sake of getting alcohol and expressed support for the workers. 

"If we can't get booze it's not the end of the world," she said.

Ramberran added he understands the purpose of the strike is to put pressure on the employer, but said when it comes to a government controlled agency, he wasn't sure if they have the same urgency to get an end result as a small business would. 

"Hopefully they move fast past this and we can start selling wine and spirits again," he said. 

Union, Crown corporation to meet Sunday

Liquor store workers in Winnipeg and Brandon continued striking Sunday, while all other liquor store employees in rural and northern stores were working, Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union said in a Saturday news release.

Those working Sunday will not perform some duties, including reviewing pallet sheets and signing off on receivables.

"They're asking for a fair and reasonable wage because they need it and they've earned it," MGEU president Kyle Ross said in an interview Saturday.

Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries has presented a four-year contract with a two per cent wage increase each year, with additional bumps to ensure those at the bottom end of the pay scale get legislated minimum wage increases.

Ross previously said 3.3 per cent would be fair, as it is tied to the consumer price index.

In an emailed statement Saturday, an MBLL spokesperson said inventory is limited at rural Liquor Marts because of the job action.

"With the MGEU refusing to allow employees to restock shelves, and no ability for MBLL to deliver inventory, once products run out those stores will be closed," the spokesperson said.

MBLL doesn't have the inventory it needs to keep locations in Winnipeg and Brandon open on Sunday, the spokesperson added.

It's not clear then, what the plan is for Monday.

The union has said its members at liquor stores province-wide will return to work Monday, but those at the distribution centre and head office in Winnipeg will remain on strike until 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Ross said the replacement workers MBLL has hired at the distribution centre continue to work, leaving members feeling disrespected.

"These members are good at their jobs, and they really want to do their job," he said.

With the union and the Crown corporation meeting with the conciliator on Sunday, Ross said it's hard to say if negotiations will come to an end soon.

"We know these things can end quickly," he said "It's really about them showing some respect to our workers."