Liquor workers agree to conciliation in contract dispute By: Malak Abas Posted: 5:58 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 25, 2023

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This article was published 25/07/2023 (1110 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The union for Manitoba’s 1,400 liquor employees has agreed to take its contract dispute to conciliation, after staging recent walkouts at select Liquor Marts and the massive distribution centre in Winnipeg.

The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union agreed Tuesday to Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corp.’s request to bring in a conciliator to guide contract negotiations. It had initially rejected the idea, said MGEU president Kyle Ross.

“We wanted time to digest it, because we still don’t believe that (MLL) has bargained with us. They’ve pretty much said where they’re at, and that’s it. Our bargaining committee (is) frustrated,” he said.

On Tuesday, 150 workers at the King Edward Street liquor distribution centre were back on the picket line in a bid to ramp up the pressure on the Crown corporation.

Liquor Mart workers across the province will walk picket lines Wednesday and Thursday.

The ability to gum up the works of liquor distribution across the province is one of the union’s weapons, particularly during the busy summer season. The recent job action has worried operators of summer festivals which depend on alcohol sales to make or break their event.

With the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba less than two weeks away, president Marilyn Valgardson is watching the job action closely. The volunteer-run organization will host a range of activities Aug. 4-7, but its four-day beer garden is one of the few chances it gets to generate revenue at the Gimli-based festival, which has no attendance fee.

“We can see as job action is gearing up instead of down, we’re only a few weeks out from our festival … it’s certainly an added level of stress,” Valgardson said Tuesday.

“Because we have already committed to specific expenses around what’s typically a revenue-generating event, such as the beer garden, we’ve committed already to a number of expenses that we won’t get out of at this point, whether we have liquor or not. If we’re unable to acquire any liquor, it will be a significant revenue loss to a not-for-profit organization.”

The Icelandic Festival has put in a “significant” order for booze to MLL.

“At this point, we’re optimistic that there will not be (lost revenue), that we will be able to put a few things into place.”–Icelandic Festival of Manitoba President Marilyn Valgardson

Valgardson is worried the large order won’t make it an hour north to Gimli from Winnipeg. There are few local private options for large-scale purchases.

Organizers have contingency plans should the strike escalate to the point its order is affected, but Valgardson didn’t want to elaborate.

“At this point, we’re optimistic that there will not be (lost revenue), that we will be able to put a few things into place,” she said. “It just might mean lots of manpower, and lots of time spent.”

The MGEU liquor workers have been without a contract since March 2022.

The union is asking for raises in line with those given to Manitoba MLAs and Premier Heather Stefanson, starting at 3.3 per cent this year, and a further 3.6 per cent in 2024 and 2025.

It has been offered two per cent per year over four years, with income bumps for some staff to ensure they are in line with provincial minimum-wage increases.

 

MGEU has accused the Tory government of tying MLL’s bargaining hands, through what it calls a “restrictive” wage mandate system.

Liquor Mart workers held a one-day walkout July 19, and will go back to the picket line Wednesday and Thursday; staff at the distribution centre walked out July 19-21 and will remain on strike July 25-27.

Ross said the longer walkouts by workers at the distribution centre, which he called the “heart” of the Crown corporation, is by design.

“It’s where all the liquor gets shipped out. It’s where all the spirits get shipped out to stores. We want (MLL) to be aware of what we could do. It’s not what we want to do. I’ve said all along, a strike’s the last resort,” he said.

“We just want to ensure that we are impactful while not hurting Manitobans, and at some point, unfortunately, we will inconvenience Manitobans, and it’s not our choice.”

The union considered the impact of strike action on Manitobans’ summer plans, Ross said.

“We’re measuring our response because we understand it’s summertime and we understand Manitobans want to enjoy summer. We were really left with no choice with these unfair offers.”

A spokesperson for MLL said it’s too early to determine the effect of the walkout on buyers.

MLL has only started to put its contingency plan in place to mitigate “significantly limited” distribution services, the spokesperson said.

“But these day-by-day strike actions are making it challenging for us to lessen the potential effects on our business partners,” they said in an email.

“Products that do not flow through our liquor distribution centre are not affected and continue to be distributed to licensees across the province — this includes many popular brands of beer, coolers, and some ready-to-drink products.”

A spokesperson for the provincial government said it would not comment on the possible effect of prolonged strike action on Manitoba businesses and non-profit events.

“We hope this process both minimizes disruption for all Manitobans and minimizes income loss for workers.”–Spokesperson

“We are not going to speculate on potential impacts, especially now that we understand the union has agreed to conciliation,” they said in an email. “We hope this process both minimizes disruption for all Manitobans and minimizes income loss for workers.”

NDP MLA Lisa Naylor said the government needs to ensure fair bargaining.

“Just like (former premier) Brian Pallister, Heather Stefanson has taken every opportunity to pick fights with workers. Now, her disrespect is putting services that Manitobans care about, at risk,” she said.

A representative for Folklorama said there are no red flags about liquor distribution at its events next month in Winnipeg.

The Gimli Film Festival, which starts Wednesday, is using a local brewer to fill its orders.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca