Hospitality industry concerned over possible BCGEU strike

BC’s hospitality industry is concerned that an upcoming potential strike by the BC General Employees’ Union could hurt restaurants, bars and other establishments that rely on provincial liquor sales.

The union announced it had issued 72-hour strike notice after its members voted 92.7 per cent in favour of job action. A strike could begin as early as Tuesday morning.

When BCGEU workers last went on strike in 2022, picket lines were set up outside four BC Liquor Distribution Branch centres. That cut off alcohol deliveries to restaurants and bars across BC.

“They picketed in front of the warehouses where we get about half of the entire industry’s alcohol,” said Wine Growers BC president and CEO Jeff Guignard.

“That warehouse is the only source for some products like international spirits or those ready-to-drink Nudes, Nütrls, vodka sodas and things like that. So this could have an immediate serious impact on the industry.”

BC wineries, craft distilleries and breweries can deliver directly to restaurants, bars and stores. However, Guignard says it would be a logistical nightmare.

“We certainly are going to do our best to connect buyers and sellers on this and if there’s restaurants that would normally have an international product, for example, we would do everything we can to serve them with BC wineries. But whatever increase in business is offset by the massive headaches and frustrations of having, at the last minute, to rejig supply chains.”

Ian Tostenson, the president and CEO of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, says the hospitality industry is already struggling due to tariffs.

“We’re on edge because of the lack of U.S. wine. That actually hurt us to a certain degree, so this is just another disruption,” he said.

“If the LDB goes on strike, that means we are blocked from getting any product, and that’s not good. That’s not going to be good for industry at all.”

Trending Now

• Number of sick days taken by public servants growing post-COVID

• Rudy Giuliani injured in New Hampshire car crash, his spokesperson says

Speaking Friday, BCGEU president Paul Finch declined to share details about what the upcoming potential job action would look like.

When the union went on strike in 2022, picketing outside the BC Liquor Distribution Branch warehouses lasted for two weeks.

Guignard says it took months for the hospitality industry to recover.

“It’s massively disruptive and it will cost industry millions of dollars and potentially jobs,” he said.

“However this dispute goes down, it just needs to get resolved as soon as possible because otherwise it hurts us and the thousands of small businesses in this industry that have nothing to do with this dispute.”

Negotiations between the BCGEU and the BC Public Service Agency began in April, but talks broke down in July. The union says wages, remote work and a “modernized contract” are points of contention.

Workers represented by the BCGEU include BC Wildfire Service firefighters, liquor store workers, correctional officers, sheriffs and social workers.