The provincewide strike by members of the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union has now led to essentially all rural Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MLCC) closing. Effective Tuesday, all rural stores, except in Thompson, are closed.

According to the Crown Corporation's website, and the hours of operation posted there, all rural stores will be closed effective Saturday.

In a statement to the Canadian Press, a spokesperson for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries said yesterday stores that are still open in Winnipeg are staffed by non-unionized employees ``from across the corporation.'' 

Over 1,400 MGEU liquor workers across Manitoba walked off the job on July 19th by holding short-term strikes. According to the union, members have been working under an expired contract since March 2022.

The MGEU held a news conference Tuesday to repeat the message on behalf of members the strike could end quickly if Premier Heather Stefanson lifted a wage mandate for all public sector workers. The union has proposed wage increases in line with the increases Manitoba MLAs and the Premier are receiving this year and in 2024 and 2025. According to information from the MGEU's website, that's 3.3 per cent this year, and a further 3.6 per cent in 2024 and 2025.

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