BCGEU carries out work stoppages at three Liquor Distribution Branch operations

Aim of job action to pressure government for a decent contract settlement.

Vancouver (03 July 2012) - The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU/NUPGE) initiated job action at three liquor distribution branches (LDB) in Vancouver, Victoria and Kamloops late Monday night.

In Vancouver, the work stoppage has affected the branch at 3200 East Broadway which houses the main warehouse, a retail store, and the Vancouver Wholesale Customer Centre. It is also the LDB’s head office.

Pickets will also be operating at the Kamloops distribution warehouse at 9881 Dallas Drive between 05:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and at the Victoria Wholesale Customer Centre at 2219 Government Street from 06:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

All other B.C. Government liquor stores will NOT be affected by this job action. Stores will remain open and it will be business as usual.

The BCGEU/NUPGE bargaining committee has been negotiating since January 2012 but feels the government's offer falls short of member proposals.

The sites chosen by the bargaining committee are specific to issues central to negotiations such as wages and privatization of services.

The government’s last offer would see pay cheques fall further behind inflation. Members in this bargaining unit haven’t had a pay increase since 2009. Despite not having a business plan to back its decision to privatize the LDB warehouses and the distribution system,. the government refuses to withdraw its proposal.

The union has also proposed the introduction of Sunday liquor store openings province-wide to generate more than $100-million in annual revenue but the government has not accepted this idea. 

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE