Frédéric, who asked that his last name not be used, is one of the 3,800 workers who have been on strike against the Quebec Liquor Board (SAQ) since November 19. He spoke to this Militant reporter outside a December 8 meeting where 2,500 workers discussed the company’s latest offer and rejected it by 88 percent.

Negotiations began on Nov. 3, 2002. Like Frédéric, 68 percent of the SAQ workers are part-time. Many are students. They are members of SEMB, the union of store and office workers at SAQ.

“Basically we are not asking for a lot: only decent schedules,” said Dean DiMaelo, who has worked at the SAQ for 30 years. “We like our work and want to go back inside.” One of the central demands of the union is that permanent employees be guaranteed at least one day off on the weekend.

In the new contract, the SAQ is proposing that workers be assigned to only one store instead of a division that has five or six stores. The union says that this undermines seniority because it could cause senior employees to lose several hours of work when there is a slowdown in sales.

Another important issue in the strike is the growing practice by the SAQ to contract with private agencies to supply liquor. The union says that this is a form of contracting out their jobs. The SAQ is proposing annual 2 percent wage increases for a contract that would end in 2011.

In an attempt to undermine the strike, the government-owned company is keeping 50 out of 400 stores open with managers. On December 11, a company official claimed that the SAQ had made 84 percent of its regular sales the week before.

The Christmas season is when the SAQ has its biggest sales. With this in mind, the strikers are picketing stores that are open to try to convince customers not to go in. Many people are buying at these stores, but there are also signs of support for the strike, like cars honking.

The company has hired security guards and there have been some confrontations in front of stores. On December 14, 150 unionists mobilized as the SAQ opened a major outlet in Montreal to the public. Police intervened to allow customers to enter the store.

Jérome Bouchard, a 26-year-old part-time worker, told the Militant, “I voted against the offer because there wasn’t much for us. Before the strike I didn’t think that the split between the bosses and the union was so big. Now, seeing the security agents and the intimidation, I will never see the company the same way. I see more the importance of being part of a union.”  
 
 
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