BCGEU strike escalates to B.C. alcohol and cannabis distribution centres
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Members of the B.C. General Employees Union (BCGEU) have escalated its strike action on Tuesday, shutting down government warehouses.
The strike is now in its fourth week.
Picket lines have gone up at B.C. alcohol and cannabis distribution centres, closing the facilities.
It is expected that liquor and cannabis stores won’t see much of an impact for a few weeks, but the hospitality industry is expected to see an impact almost immediately.
“It probably keeps the public away by thinking, ‘Oh, there’s a labour disruption,’” Ian Tostenson, CEO of the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Association said.
“Maybe they can’t go to my local restaurant and have what they want to have, so there is an effect there. (If) this goes on for a couple days, (it) will be fine. If it goes on for a week, it’s going to have impacts. It will hurt our bottom line, for sure, because we’ll run out of product to sell.”
In a message to industry partners on Tuesday, the BC Liquor Distribution Branch said it is implementing quantity limits on all products, except for beer and Bordeaux wines, until the distribution centre resumes normal operations.
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“Hospitality customers and retail customers will be limited to three items per SKU, per day,” the notice reads.
“This includes refreshment beverage products that come in 4-packs, 6-packs and other formats.”
According to the BCGEU, this is the longest public service strike in B.C.’s history.
In total, more than 12,500 public service workers are now engaged in job action at 63 sites across the province, including 33 active picket lines.
Sites joining strike action today include:
- 1515 Blanshard, Victoria
- 3400 Davidson Ave, Victoria
- 818 Fort St, Victoria
- 940 Blanshard, Victoria
- 1150 McKenzie Ave, Victoria
- 102 Industrial Place, Penticton
- 205 Industrial Rd G, Cranbrook
- 1500 Woolridge, Coquitlam
- 727 Fisgard, Victoria
- 1801 Princeton-Kamloops Hwy, Kamloops
The union says it is asking for an 8.25 per cent pay hike. The province says it offered a 4.5 per cent increase in wages and cost-of-living increases over two years.
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