Striking Liquor Mart workers rally at Manitoba legislature

Workers at Manitoba’s Liquor Marts rallied at the Manitoba Legislature for the second consecutive week amid an ongoing labour dispute.

Hundreds of workers marched to the legislature on Tuesday, continuing their demands for a new contract and a wage increase. It comes one day after Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) indicated they were interested in moving towards binding arbitration on wage increases.

The MBLL said Tuesday that the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) is not looking to move to arbitration and end their strike.

“Effectively they will only go to arbitration if they get exactly what they have been asking for all along - making arbitration moot,” said Gerry Sul, President & CEO of MBLL, in a statement. “By refusing to proceed directly to the fair arbitration recommended by the conciliator, the MGEU has chosen to prolong this summer strike and continue negatively impacting our employees, their families, all of our customers, and over 2,000 Manitoba businesses.”

MGEU workers rally at the Manitoba Legislature on Aug. 15, 2023/ (image source: Jamie Dowsett/CTV News Winnipeg)

The MGEU has been without a new contract for Liquor Mart workers since 2022. In a statement Monday, MGEU president Kyle Ross said the union will continue to remain on the picket line and work with a conciliator to help end the strike.

“There is significant risk that arbitration could take a very long time, often more than a year, to provide wage increases to MGEU members. This is not acceptable,” Ross said.

Ross said the MGEU wants to work towards “a fair, negotiated settlement,” but will also discuss a fair arbitration process.