Liquor Mart Express locations to close until further notice amid strike action

A file photo of a Liquor Mart.

All Liquor Mart Express locations, which are found in grocery stores, will be closed until further notice as contract negotiations continue.

On Wednesday, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) announced that a lockout will take place at the following Express locations: Bison Drive Liquor Mart Express, Brandon West End Liquor Mart Express, Gateway Liquor Mart Express, Reenders Liquor Mart Express, Sargent Avenue Liquor Mart Express, and St. Anne’s Liquor Mart Express.

MBLL said it needs to adjust the number of Liquor Marts open for business to ensure it can manage inventory allocation and distribution.

On Thursday, all but five Liquor Marts are closed in Winnipeg, with the five open locations operating at reduced hours. Outside of Winnipeg, Brandon’s three full-service stores and all rural locations are open on Thursday.

As for the long weekend, almost every store is expected to be open from Friday through Monday, other than the Express locations which are closed indefinitely. A full schedule can be found online.

“Keeping Liquor Marts open and stocked is a priority to ensure liquor products remain available to Manitobans and the two thousand, mostly small, local businesses that rely on liquor sales to support their own operations,” says Gerry Sul, MBLL president and CEO said in a statement.

“MBLL is taking these measured and proportional steps to ensure we can continue providing retail liquor service to Manitobans.”

According to the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union, all bargaining unit members will refuse overtime until further notice as part of its strike actions. MGEU members at liquor stores will not perform certain receiving duties, including receiving inventory from suppliers and distributors; reviewing pallet sheets; identifying product distribution for shelf stocking and warehousing; and signing off of receivables.

MGEU president Kyle Ross said the government’s position on the wage mandate has become a significant issue for union members.

“Premier Stefanson may need reminding: her government’s heavy-handed legislation forced liquor workers to take annual wage increases of 0%, 0%, 0.75%, and 1% in their last contract. The cost of living spiked to nearly 8% in the last year alone,” he said in a statement.

“MBLL is a very profitable corporation generating record-setting profits of nearly $600 [million] annually for taxpayers in 2022. It can afford fair and reasonable increases for its workers and these workers have worked hard, including through the pandemic, and have earned a wage increase that keeps up with the high cost of living.”

All MGEU members at the Liquor Distribution Centre and Head Office will remain on strike until 7 a.m. on Sunday.