Manitoba liquor strike ends as unionized workers vote to accept new 4-year contract: MGEU

Unionized workers at Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries have voted to accept a new four-year contract from the Crown corporation, ending over a month of strike action at Liquor Marts across the province, their union says.

Members at the distribution centre will head back to work Sunday evening while all other members should be back on the job Monday, Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union president Kyle Ross said at a Sunday news conference.

"We'd like to thank everyone for their patience, support and solidarity," he said.

That means all Liquor Marts across the province will reopen Monday, Liquor and Lotteries president Gerry Sul said in a statement Sunday. 

Eastwinds Liquor Mart in Winnipeg and Brandon Victoria Liquor Mart in Brandon will continue to serve commercial customers exclusively until later this week, while deliveries to commercial partners including private retailers and licensees will begin next week, the statement said.

All members of the bargaining unit will receive wage increases of about 12 per cent or more under their new four-year contract, the union said in a news release Sunday. The workers voted on that deal starting Thursday until Sunday at noon.

Sul said in his statement that the agreement features compounding general wage increases of two per cent for each of the four years, plus pay scale adjustments that reflect "the specific and overwhelmingly part-time nature of our workforce, other targeted shift premiums and allowances, benefit enhancements, and one-time lump sum payments."

The unionized Liquor Mart workers embarked on a provincewide strike on Aug. 8, after performing limited job action such as day-long strikes and walkouts since July 19. A total of nine Manitoba Liquor Marts were open in Winnipeg, Brandon and Thompson last week.

A recommendation for the workers to accept the new deal was made by their bargaining committee last week.

Sul said the corporation looks forward to welcoming employees back to work.

"Everyone at MBLL remains fully committed to delivering on all expectations of us — for our customers, business partners, and all Manitobans," he said.

The employees have been without a contract since their last collective agreement with the Crown corporation — which contained a general wage increase of about 1.75 per cent over four years — expired in March 2022.

Under the new contract with Liquor & Lotteries, customer service clerks and warehouse workers who have clocked more than 330 hours of service will receive a total general wage increase of just under 12 per cent over four years, according to the union.

The same workers with fewer than 330 hours are slated to get a general wage increase of about 21 per cent over four years.

Increased general wages in the ratified deal are retroactive to March 25, 2022, as well as pay scale adjustments, benefit enhancements, a one-time lump-sum payment and shift premiums, the Crown corporation previously said.

MPI strike notice looms

The retroactive and one-time lump sum payments will be processed immediately for eligible workers, Liquor & Lotteries said last week.

The union has previously said a general wage increase of just over 13 per cent over four years would be fair, as that number is tied to the consumer price index, and said the Crown corporation was unwilling until recently to budge from eight per cent.

Ross said it's bittersweet that as one MGEU strike ends, another is set to begin.

The ratification of the new liquor deal comes as Manitoba Public Insurance announced a strategy to sustain some services for customers across the province in light of strike action planned by MGEU workers on Monday morning.

Manitobans wanting to renew a license, start a new insurance policy or make a payment can do so through one of about 300 broker partners across the province, MPI said in a Sunday news release.

The Crown corporation's contact centre will also stay open for those who need to report claims involving personal injuries, non-drivable collisions and stolen vehicles.

All other kinds of collision damage claims, such as hail damage claims, can be made through any repair shop authorized by MPI to receive vehicle estimates or repairs without contacting the insurer first, according to the release.