Cannabis Store Workers Join Labor Strike In British Columbia

The Canadian B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) strike expanded last week with nearly 900 additional workers from 22 worksites joining the action, including employees at 20 more British Columbia liquor and cannabis stores, Global News reports. The strike has already temporarily closed cannabis distribution centers in the province.  

In addition to B.C. liquor and cannabis workers, the strike includes staff from the Ministry of Environment and Parks, Children & Family Development, Energy and Climate Solutions, and Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. 

In a statement, Paul Finch, BCGEU president and chair of the public service bargaining committee, said the union’s “members are showing incredible strength and resolve.” 

“Every day this government delays, pressure on public services grows. Public service workers deserve wages that keep up with the cost of living. The government must return to the table now with a serious offer – or job action will escalate further. We are not backing down.” — Finch via Global News 

The government recently revised its offer to send the strike from a 4% wage increase over two years to a 5% increase over two years. The union, however, contends that the 5% is not an increase in general wages but that it bundles market adjustments and other unrelated items, and that not all workers would receive the increase. 

The strike is now in its fifth week.