Workers at Manitoba-owned liquor distribution centres to remain on strike into Thursday

Unionized staff at provincially run Liquor Marts in Manitoba hit the picket lines on Wednesday to bring attention to their contract negotiations, and their union says some workers will continue to strike on Thursday.

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, some of the 1,400 Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) members started walking off the job for a one-day strike.

Liquor distribution centre workers will remain on strike on Thursday, and all members of the bargaining unit will refuse to work overtime until further notice, a Wednesday news release from MGEU says. 

"Further strike action will be announced in the days to come if a fair deal cannot be reached" with the Crown corporation, it said.

The majority — but not all — of the retail stores have been closed on Wednesday. 

A handful of locations in Winnipeg and Brandon will be open, but product selection and available inventory may be limited, a notice on the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries website said.

Operating hours at those stores will be reduced, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Typically, stores open at 10 a.m. and close at either 8 p.m. or 10 p.m.

The strike includes union members who work in the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries distribution centre and those in supporting business operations, like information technology, purchasing and administration, the union said in a news release.

'Really frustrating'

The first to walk on Wednesday were staff at the distribution centre on King Edward Street in Winnipeg. 

"We're hoping Manitobans will support us, because our members have been put in a difficult position," MGEU president Kyle Ross said Wednesday morning.

"This government has been suppressing wages in the public sector, and it's been really challenging."

A Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries spokesperson told CBC News the corporation would not participate in any interviews about the strike action, instead directing the public to check for bargaining updates on the website.

The union's last collective agreement with Liquor & Lotteries expired in March 2022 and bargaining started shortly after that, Ross said.

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

Ross has said that doesn't go far enough. Workers have been leaving for better pay at places like Walmart and Sobeys, he said.

Premier Heather Stefanson and other elected officials will receive raises of 3.3 per cent this year and another 3.6 per cent in 2024, Ross said.

"We believe our members deserve the same," he said.

Union members were deemed critical during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and required to work, he said.

"And now this government doesn't show up to show them the respect they deserve. It's really frustrating."

In December, the Crown corporation's president and CEO, Manny Atwal, told a legislative committee hearing that Liquor & Lotteries expected to finish the year with another round of record profits — following on the heels of the $597.8 million reported in 2021-22.

After Wednesday's one-day walkout, workers will refuse all overtime, and further strike actions will be announced if a deal cannot be reached, Ross has said.

The two sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table on Friday.