Striking SAQ workers demand new contract negotiations

SAQ employees on Wednesday mounted a second day of rallies across Quebec to force the Crown corporation to negotiate with workers who have been without a contract since March 2017.

The mass demonstration caused several SAQ liquor stores across the province to close for the day.

While organisers do not plan to stage the protests consecutively, 91% of union members voted to support the series of one-day strikes to demand contract negotiations.

This week, hundreds of striking workers from 63 branches of the government-run liquor store gathered at the National Assembly, a month after the union workers first walked off their jobs.

The protesters are hoping to resolve issues such as weekend hours as well as the employment terms covering part-time workers. About 70% of the SAQ workforce is working part-time.

The union SEMB-SAQ, which represents 5,500 SAQ employees, said it is pressuring the government to allow the SAQ management to come to an agreement with the workers.

“The message will be clear: we want the government to give the mandate to the SAQ to settle the negotiations with its employees,” the union said.

Apart from this week’s widescale public demonstrations, SAQ employees have also reportedly been using unconventional tactics to draw consumers’ attention to their ordeal. Some workers are said to turn wine and liquor bottles around to hide the labels, and to turn prices on shelves upside down.

The union is planning to continue with four more collective demonstrations, but the dates of upcoming protests are yet to be determined.