Strike at Cascadia Liquor stores on Vancouver Island over, union says

Wine bottles are seen on a shelf at a liquor store in this image from Shutterstock.com

Striking employees at three Greater Victoria liquor stores will be returning to work after six weeks on the picket line, the union representing the workers announced Sunday.

The Service Employees International Union Local 2 said its members and Cascadia Liquor ratified their first collective agreement on Saturday.

The union represents employees at three of Cascadia Liquor’s 12 locations on Vancouver Island—Quadra Village, Eagle Creek and Colwood. The Uptown Shopping Centre location also voted to join the union during the strike.

The strike began on May 4 and lasted 43 days. The union also asked patrons to boycott the unaffected Cascadia Liquor stores during the job action.

The main demand from workers was higher wages more in line with the cost of living in Victoria.

In a brief statement on SEIU2’s website, the union says the new three-year contract includes “significant” wage increases, pay premiums for specialized positions, and health and dental benefits.

“We received amazing support and solidarity from the local community who consistently showed up on picket lines and for rallies,” SEIU2 wrote. “Thank you to everyone who chose to shop elsewhere during the past six weeks. All of this made a significant difference and helped us win this fight.”