Picket lines were set up Wednesday in front of all remaining British Columbia-run liquor and cannabis stores in the province as public service workers step up union job action.
The escalation by the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) also includes all Service B.C. workers, raising the total number of members participating in job action to almost 25,000.
Union president Paul Finch said in a statement that he regrets the impact of the pickets on local communities, and members are not taking escalation lightly, but the union is “left with no alternative” to get the province back to negotiations.
“The government has a choice: they can sit down and bargain with us — or they can continue to let this disruption escalate,” Finch said.
“We’re ready to talk. We’ve been ready. The ball is in their court.”
There are 34,000 members in the bargaining unit, some of which are considered essential workers.
Private liquor and cannabis stores in B.C. remain open, but they are supplied by provincial government distribution warehouses which are also behind picket lines.
As the BCGEU strike wears on, pubs and restaurants are finding themselves in a frustrating situation — while they’re nearly running out of stock, nearby liquor stores are legally barred from selling to them because they’re privately owned. Alliance of Beverage Licensees executive director Bo Chen said the restriction needs to change to give the hospitality industry a better chance of weathering out the strike.
Service B.C. provides residents with services related to drivers licensing, income and disability assistance, hunting and fishing licenses, identification verification and payments for B.C. traffic tickets, as well as student loans and court fines.
The union said Wednesday that a total of 431 provincial government work sites are now behind picket lines as the weeks-long labour dispute persists.
Union members rallied outside the B.C. Legislature on Monday, the first day of the government’s fall session, as they push for higher compensation.
B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey, who has been speaking for the government in the dispute, has said the government wants to balance a fair deal with its existing fiscal constraints.
Finch said that while the union wants an agreement that would help workers deal with rising living costs and inflation, that is not the only goal.
“This is not just about wages — this is about investing in the services people across this province depend on,” he said.
