(Quebec) On the eve of two days of strike at the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), the president and CEO of the state-owned company says he is confident of reaching an agreement.
“The negotiations are very active, there is real progress at the table, so that gives us confidence in reaching an agreement,” said Jacques Farcy late Tuesday afternoon, in response to the MP’s questions. liberal Frédéric Beauchemin, during the parliamentary commission on the study of the credits of the Ministry of Finance, SAQ component.
On the other hand, he added that the discussions currently focus on normative issues and not yet on the salary aspect.
Mr. Farcy assured that there are “several objectives that are shared” by both the management side and the union side, which is “very good news for being able to make progress in the negotiations”.
However, he clarified that “on how to achieve these objectives, we can have different visions”.
Mr. Farcy indicated that in the event of a labor conflict, the SAQ aimed to open as many branches as possible, but only executives would work on the floor.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Jacques Farcy, CEO of the SAQ
We would ensure the “best possible territorial representativeness”, but opening hours could be limited.
The SAQ Store and Office Employees Union had announced that strike days would be held on Wednesday and Thursday, unless there was significant progress at the negotiating table.
Among the main points in dispute, we note the addition of permanent positions, access to insurance and access to training. A letter of understanding provided for a guarantee of a number of regular positions; the union demands to strengthen it.
The union, which is attached to the Federation of Public Service Employees, affiliated with the CSN, represents some 5,000 workers in the various SAQ branches.
Wines and “genocide”
Québec solidaire (QS) asked the SAQ to remove from its shelves around ten wines which would be produced in the occupied territories and labeled as being a product of Israel.
MP Haroun Bouazzi, from QS, said he had checked Google Maps with his team.
“Is anyone forcing you to sell these wines?” he asked, adding that he didn’t think anyone had asked for wines from the occupied territories.
“You could remove them as a precaution, since there is no one asking for them, since there is a genocide in progress nearby,” he continued, insistently, sometimes cutting off the floor. to the CEO of the SAQ.
He was thus referring to the ongoing Israeli army offensive in the Gaza Strip following the massacres committed by Hamas in the Jewish state on October 7.
Mr. Farcy assured that there was a demand for these wines and that the SAQ sold wines that were requested by customers.
He wanted to clarify that labeling is the responsibility of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and that “consultations are underway”.
The president of the SAQ assured that the state-owned company would comply with the rules once they are clarified.