Picket line in Kamloops as BCGEU begins strike action

The union representing about 33,000 staff in the B.C. Public Service Agency says it will begin targeted job action at select BC Liquor Distribution Branch wholesale and distribution centres Monday (Aug. 15), including in Kamloops.

The news release from the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) comes after it issued a strike notice on Friday (Aug. 12).

A picket line will go up at the Kamloops Distribution Centre on 9881 Dallas Dr.

The liquor distribution centres in Delta and Richmond and the wholesale customer centre in Victoria are also being targeted by the action.

The BCGEU says retail liquor and cannabis stores will not be part of this phase of job action.

The most recent collective agreement between the union and Public Service Agency expired on April 1 and, while negotiations for a new agreement began on Feb. 8, bargaining reached an impasse on April 6 and stalled again in July when talks briefly resumed.