“Exasperated”, the 780 salaried workers of the two SAQ warehouses as well as the delivery managers for the various branches have decided to put their words into action by calling a 24-hour strike on Tuesday.
“The workers want to show that they are serious about their demands,” says Michel Gratton, union advisor for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). After more than 12 meetings, the employer has not announced its colors. The members are exasperated. The message must be understood by the employer. ”
“This is the most lucrative period for the government,” underlines Mr. Gratton, who adds in the process that this day of strike will have an impact on the “coffers” of the state.
Salary, job security and occupational health and safety measures are among the main issues in dispute.
On the side of the SAQ, they say they are trying to “minimize” the effects of this strike which will not be “without impact”. “Deliveries scheduled for today have been canceled and those for the current week may be postponed. The car service is closed to license holders, ”explained Yann Langlais-Plante, spokesperson for the SAQ, in an email sent to Press.
“Our desire remains the same: to reach a satisfactory agreement for both parties and we will continue to communicate transparently any useful information to our employees, our customers and our partners as the case progresses. ”
Remember that in October, workers voted 94% in favor of pressure tactics that could go as far as going on strike. The collective agreement expired on 1er April 2021. Normally, negotiations should continue on Wednesday and Thursday.