In a union strike overshadowed by numerous labor complaints, an agreement was reached after just over six weeks.
On June 16, the Service Employees International Union announced that it had reached an agreement with Cascadia Liquor after Cascadia employees at three locations in Victoria, Colwood and View Royal went on strike for 43 days demanding fair wages.
The union’s website states: “The three-year contract includes significant wage increases, wage premiums for specialized positions, health and dental insurance benefits and other improvements.”
During the strike, the union filed two complaints with the British Columbia Labour Relations Board against the employer, alleging that Cascadia was using head office employees to perform tasks normally performed by striking employees. The board agreed and issued a cease and desist order to the employer. The second complaint, still before the board, was the allegation that the employer negotiated in bad faith after sending striking employees an email offering higher wages and a bonus if they returned to work.
The employer also filed a complaint accusing the union of “witness intimidation,” but the complaint was dismissed the next day.
The three stores joined a union in 2023, and a fourth, at Uptown Shopping Mall, applied to join the union during the strike.
Further details of the deal will be announced in the coming days.
