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, the union says.

"Members at the distribution centre will be back to work this evening and all other members should be back on the job as early as tomorrow," the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union said in a Sunday afternoon news release.

With some exceptions, a majority of the approximately 1,400 unionized workers will receive a total general wage increase of about 12 per cent under their new, four-year contract. The workers began to vote on the deal Thursday, and polls closed at noon on Sunday.

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 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.

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.

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

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.

The ratification of the new 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.