The liquor board’s retail employees have been without a contract since March 2023.
About 5,000 workers employed by the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) will go on strike Thursday as their union denounces management’s salary offer during contract negotiations.
SAQ management was able to maintain “limited access” to its stores during those walkouts.
The liquor board’s retail employees have been without a contract since March 2023.
The union says non-monetary issues were settle last week. However, it says it feels “deceived” by the salary offer made on Wednesday. It argues the offer contains concessions on pay and overtime as well as a reduction of management’s contribution to the health insurance plan.
The SAQ is offering a 16.5-per-cent pay raise spread over six years. The union claims it was told that if it wants to sweeten that offer, it must make concessions on other issues, a proposal that led to Thursday’s strike.