Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Adam Donnelly

PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES ON STRIKE

“No COLA, no beer”: BCGEU seeks cost-of-living adjustment for its members

Aug 16, 2022 | 4:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — Day Two of strike action continues at the BC Liquor Distribution Branch in Kamloops, as members of the BCGEU who work at the location call on the government to deliver on a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

“We’ve been very, very clear on our message to government, to the employer that what we were looking for in this round of bargaining was wages that adequately address the rising cost of living.” Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President tells CFJC Today. “Also, and as importantly, protection for those wages against runaway rates of inflation.”

According to Statistics Canada, the Consumer Price Index saw an increase of 7.6 per cent over a 12-month period. That means the same items that cost $100 in July, 2021 would now cost $107.40 just a year later. Smith says she wants the same protection for her members that provincial politicians get.

“The last pay raise was two per cent. Since April, 2021, inflation rates haven’t been two per cent, so their wages have been eroded,” Smith explains. “We finally in this province have minimum wage tied to inflation — as they should be, because it allows people to keep up — that’s all my members are asking for.”

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Rob Wiggins is the owner of Pogue Mahone Irish Alehouse and the attached Liquor Warehouse. He says if the strike continues into next week, he expects to see impacts on the pub before they hit the liquor store.

“You’re probably a 40/60 basis, from hard spirits to beer and wine,” Wiggins explains. “That is the one that’s going to be affected first. You have that flow-through of product on a weekly basis. If it doesn’t come, the stock is going to run down pretty quickly.”

Wiggins hasn’t seen any impacts to the business yet, but he’s making preparations in case the dispute carries on into the coming weeks.

“Hopefully, the parties can get together and work out an agreement so that we can all move forward and continue business as usual,” Wiggins says.

Smith indicated there were some exploratory talks that took place last Friday. However, with no sign of movement from the government’s side, and 95 per cent of BCGEU members in favour of the strike, she says she’s waiting for a call to come back to the table.

“For the 33,000 members of the public service over the last two years keeping the lights on, keeping the wheels turning, keeping the door open, keeping the services available for people in our province has taught them their worth,” Smith says. “They’re now looking for a collective agreement that acknowledges their contribution to our province — not just over the pandemic, but into the future as we recover economically.”