Restaurants “used as a pawn” as BCGEU strike expands to liquor stores

BURNABY — Some of British Columbia’s most lucrative liquor stores were behind picket lines on Wednesday as the union for public service workers tries to pressure the government to go back to the bargaining table.

Members of the B.C. General Employees’ Union expanded their picket lines to 25 liquor retail stores, just a few days after stopping supplies from leaving the liquor and cannabis distribution warehouses in Richmond, Delta and Kamloops.

Union president Paul Finch said in a statement that the lack of response from the province “forced” workers to step up strike action this week.

“We recognize this escalation will impact the restaurant industry and small businesses, who are being caught in the middle of this dispute,” Finch said.

“That’s why we’re calling on them to join us in pressing government to return to the table. Like them, we are frustrated that government continues to stall and refuses to return to the table to negotiate.”

With 600 more workers added Wednesday, that brings to 14,000 the number of workers taking strike action with everything from full picket lines to a ban on overtime.

Ian Tostenson, president of the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association, said in an interview on Wednesday that his members are being used as “a pawn” in the dispute, and restaurants are likely to see shortages of liquor supply by the end of this week.

“What concerns us is that restaurants are having to shop around, going to different stores to try to find products. They can only buy three bottles of a product at a time,” said Tostenson, “It’s really disruptive, and it’s no way to run a business.”

He said his members are upset that a labour dispute they have no connection to is stopping their work.

“We’re being used as a pawn, and we don’t like it.”

He said the closure of the retail liquor stores was a surprise.

“They’re not just inconveniencing restaurants, but now they’re going to start to inconvenience the public.”

The union said the retail locations where pickets were set up have been chosen because they are a “significant source of government revenue.”

It said it hopes the government will take note of the latest strike action.

“By withholding their labour at both warehouses and retail stores, public service workers are sending a clear message: they are essential to generating the revenue that funds the vital services British Columbians depend on every day,” the statement said.

The union has been escalating its job action over the last four weeks.

B.C. Conservatives labour critic Kiel Giddens said in a statement that fiscal mismanagement by New Democrat Premier David Eby’s government is to blame for the growing dispute.

“The premier continues to attack affordability for workers as his government’s mismanagement is emptying shelves, undermining paycheques, and putting small businesses on the brink,” Giddens said.

“British Columbians deserve a government that manages responsibly, respects small businesses and workers, and protects vital industries.”

Tostenson said the ongoing strike creates another opportunity for his industry to have conversations with the government about how to avoid facing the same situation in the future.

“We need to design a system that we can purchase liquor from the private warehouses and bypass government warehouses so that they can’t use liquor as the sort of bargaining chip that they are,” said Tostenson.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2025.