Quebec's government-owned cannabis retailer (SQDC) and its union will meet with a conciliator Friday, as the strike affecting certain branches has now lasted more than four months.
Twenty-two SQDC branches are affected by the strike, which was launched indefinitely on May 28 after a sporadic strike that lasted for a few days.
Compensation is at the heart of the dispute. According to David Clement, president of the relevant Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) branch, entry-level pay at the SQDC is $17.12 an hour.
He compares his union members' pay to that of their peers at the liquor board and wants to see them paid at least $20 an hour.
Clement said he's approaching the conciliation meeting with an "open mind" and is prepared to negotiate.
About half of the SQDC's branches have unionized employees.
This report was first published in French by The Canadian Press on Oct. 3, 2022.
