Day 2: SAQ workers strike throughout Quebec

Nearly 5,000 workers at the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) continue to strike on Thursday, the second of a two-day mobilization.

This all comes after the union says there was insufficient progress at the negotiating table for their new collective agreement.

“We are starting negotiations next Monday,” said SAQ employee and union Vice President Alexandre Bolduc on Wednesday. “But we are telling our employer that we want to go forward and push our demand to this negotiation.”

These two strike days are the first of a 15-day strike mandate by union members that was approved last month.

The main points of dispute include the addition of permanent positions, access to insurance and access to training.

The question of wages has not yet been addressed, reported the union, Syndicat des employés de magasins et de bureaux de la Société des alcools du Québec, which is part of the CSN-affiliated Fédération des employé(e)s des services publics (FEESP-CSN).

The union says about 70 per cent of its members are part-time or on call.

Under the current contract, cashiers and salespeople are paid $21.50 per hour to start, with the highest salary capping at $28.15.

SAQ President and CEO Jacques Farcy spoke at the National Assembly on Tuesday, about the SAQ component of the Ministry of Finance budget and said he was confident about reaching an agreement with the union members.

“Negotiations are very active, and real progress is being made at the table, so I’m confident we’ll reach an agreement,” said Farcy.

However, Farcy made it clear that in the event of a labour dispute, the SAQ’s objective was to keep as many branches as they can open, but only management staff would be working on the floor.

-With files from La Presse Canadienne