A majority of the members of the Union of Store and Office Employees of the Société des alcools du Québec (SEMB-SAQ), affiliated with the CSN, voted for the holding of 15 days of strike, to be exercised at the appropriate time, “ whether consecutive or not.”
This was announced by the union on Saturday morning, specifying that more than half of the 5,000 affected SAQ employees spoke out during a series of general meetings held throughout the week, throughout Quebec. .
“We have been asking customers since the fall to stock up on supplies so that on the first day of the strike, they do not cross our picket lines. The next day, we will come back all smiles to serve them,” says the president of the union, Lisa Courtemanche, in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“The best way to avoid a second day of strike is not to go on the first,” she explains.
The SEMB-SAQ deplores that negotiations have not progressed with the employer for a year.
Job insecurity is strongly denounced and the salary issue has not even been addressed yet, according to the union. The creation of permanent positions and working hours are the main points in dispute.
“70% of SAQ employees are part-time, who have no idea of their schedule two weeks in advance and who never know if they will have a full week of work,” underlines Mme Courtemanche.
“Of the 70% of my colleagues who are part-time, there are several who work the schedule of a regular employee every week for years and years. You can have this schedule for ten years, but not have the benefits [sociaux] a regular job or any insurance coverage,” she laments.
The others, adds Mme Courtemanche, never know if they will have a full week of work.
“We are trying to reduce precariousness. There is no company that can run its business with 70% of its staff part-time. We no longer have anyone who wants to come and work at the SAQ. Our young colleagues are going elsewhere,” laments the president of the union.
Increasing the number of permanent positions is therefore a major issue.
Among other demands, there is also training and the desire to increase the number of wine advisors and branch coordinators.
Employer reaction
On the employer’s side, “the SAQ takes note of the strike mandate.”
In a statement sent by email, it is indicated “that negotiations with the union are continuing with the same objective: reaching an agreement that is satisfactory for both the SAQ and its employees.”
The employer specifies that it will try to ensure continuity of service.
“If a strike day is ever announced by the union, we will then invite our customers to consult saq.com or our mobile application to find out which branches will open their doors to customers, if applicable. This information will be updated as the situation evolves in order to effectively guide our customers,” specifies the employer’s statement.
A request for a telephone interview was refused to The Canadian Press
“Regarding the union’s assertions regarding the discussions at the negotiating table, we reserve our comments and we trust the teams at this same table,” specifies the SAQ email.
Message to the Legault government
As the SAQ is a state corporation, Lisa Courtemanche takes the opportunity to send a message to François Legault’s government.
“We were considered an essential service by the government during the pandemic in 2020, 2021, 2022 since we were one of the only businesses open […] We deserve every request we make. We provide unparalleled customer service and we bring in $1.5 billion in dividends to the government coffers,” underlines the president of the union.
As for negotiations on salaries, it seems that the management of the SAQ is waiting for the “monetary envelope” from the Treasury Board to begin discussions, according to the union.
The 5,000 SEMB-SAQ employees earn between $21 per hour and $26 at the top level, said M.me Courtemanche.