SAQ employees stage surprise strike Friday
This is not the first time employees have walked off the job unexpectedly
Unionized employees at SAQ stores across the province walked off the job at 2 p.m. Friday as their union announced a surprise strike.
The strike is expected to last until the end of the day. The SAQ said that about 50 stores are expected to remain open including the one at Marché Jean-Talon, the one at the corner of Parc Avenue and Fairmount Avenue, and the store on Sherbrooke St. West in NDG.
For a full list of open stores Friday night, click here.
The unionized Société des alcools du Québec workers, affiliated with the CSN labour federation, represents about 5,500 people in liquor stores and SAQ offices.
In a release, the union said that disciplinary measures were taken against employees who were participating in pressure tactics and accused the employer of "putting oil on the fire."
The SAQ employees have been without a collective agreement since March 31, 2017.
The union is pushing for better working conditions for work-life balance and salary increases.
This is not the first time that the union has announced a sudden strike action with no warning.
On Sept. 9, employees went on strike for the day and closed a great number of stores in the province.
Employees voted later that month to 18 days of striking, but would not say when these short-term strikes would take place.
This was in addition to a previous, six-day strike mandate that was approved in June.
The two parties will be back to the negotiating table next week, according to the union.
Based on a report by La Presse Canadienne.