Liquor Store Employees Protest Privatization(Canada)

Nanaimo Daily News(Canada) ^ | December 01, 2002 | Nelson Bennett

[Mark]

Liquor store employees protest privatization

By Nelson Bennett Daily News

nanaimo

Sunday, December 01, 2002

Private liquor stores will offer less diversity and no cheaper prices. That was the message government liquor store employees had for their customers on Friday.

They stood outside local liquor stores and handed out pamphlets to customers, urging them to voice opposition to the B.C. government's plans to open up B.C. to more private liquor stores, and close government-owned ones.

Shirley Sundquist, who works at the Longwood Station liquor store, concedes many of the store's customers support private liquor stores because they expect prices to decrease.

"They think the prices are going to go down," Sundquist said.

"They're going to get a big surprise. The government's already said that the prices will not go down."

The only thing that will go down is wages and the range of products, Sundquist said.

Sundquist recently returned from a trip to Alberta, where liquor stores are privately owned.

Although liquor store workers there are paid far less than B.C.'s government employees, privatization has not necessarily translated into lower prices.

Although Sundquist found high-end Scotch much cheaper in Alberta liquor stores, she said beer, wine and other products were comparable, if not more expensive.

Liquor store employees in Alberta are paid minimum wage ($5.90 per hour), according to pamphlets handed out Friday. Government liquor store employees in B.C., by contrast, are paid an average of $19 per hour.

"It's a well-paying job, but we're well-trained," Sundquist said.

She and her colleagues warn the diversity of products now carried by government-owned liquor stores will disappear under privatization.

Currently, the Longwood Station store offers 1,750 products. Sundquist said small, privately owned liquor stores will not offer that kind of range.

In response to the province's plans to open B.C. to more privately owned liquor stores, the City of Nanaimo has drafted a liquor strategy, which recommends a freeze on new stores in the city for areas that aren't already zoned appropriately.

© Copyright 2002 Nanaimo Daily News

[Mark]

"It's a well-paying job, but we're well-trained," Sundquist said.

A resume builder there.

[AdamSelene235]

Sheeessh...What sort of hoser is incapable of selling booze without government assistance?

That's just sad..

[Mark]

I still remember the movie "Strange Brew"-- the 2 goofs trying to get free beer with a mouse in one of the bottles.

[VOA]

Although Sundquist found high-end Scotch much cheaper in Alberta liquor stores, she said
beer, wine and other products were comparable, if not more expensive.

Of course, the well-trained and well-compensated Sundquist didn't realize that this
pricing scheme had a side benefit:
getting folks to drink higher-quality distilled spirits without all the junk that
might be found in beer, wine, etc.

E.g., nitrates in wine...

[Ben Ficklin]

The slower it is distilled, the fewer the contaminants.

The slower it is distilled, the more it costs.

[Mark]

Looking to the day that the story heading changes:

Hospital Employees Protest Privatization(Canada)

[xm177e2]

Although Sundquist found high-end Scotch much cheaper in Alberta liquor stores, she said beer, wine and other products were comparable, if not more expensive.

A worthwhile trade-off, if you ask me...

[Rome2000]

Liquor store employees in Alberta are paid minimum wage ($5.90 per hour), according to pamphlets handed out Friday. Government liquor store employees in B.C., by contrast, are paid an average of $19 per hour.

Thats the soulution to poverty right there, get all the poor to work in Government liquor stores for $19 an hour!

[Commander8]

Government liquor stores....no wonder Ted Kennedy looks to Canada as a model government.

[Lurker]

"Liquor store employees in Alberta are paid minimum wage ($5.90 per hour), according to pamphlets handed out Friday. Government liquor store employees in B.C., by contrast, are paid an average of $19 per hour.

"It's a well-paying job, but we're well-trained," Sundquist said.

Jesus H. Fricking Christ on on a flaming stick....

If I had known I could make 20 bucks an hour for saying "The Molsons in the cooler on the right" I would have emigrated to Canda years ago.

The kindest thing we could do to the Canadians is annex them, by force if necessary.

L

[Leisler]

Beer is a food group.

[lmr]

The Liquor store I frequent is a great place. The employees know me by name and they have all worked there for quite awhile. If I were going to say that there were any "highly trained" Liquor store employees, these guys would qualify. I have received much advice and help, especially with wines, which I know almost nothing about. I believe these guys get paid about $10 an hour which isn't bad considering the occupation. This liquor store does an incredible volume and these guys are always busy. Efficiency can allow for higher wages than average, even if you keep prices down. I see Government owned liquor stores as a joke and a major boondoggle. What a farce. I can only imagine how the employees there are, it would be like visiting the (auto) tag office in my state. Anything the government is in business for is a joke. Turn this over to private industry.

[weegee]

"Liquor store employees in Alberta are paid minimum wage ($5.90 per hour), according to pamphlets handed out Friday. Government liquor store employees in B.C., by contrast, are paid an average of $19 per hour. "It's a well-paying job, but we're well-trained," Sundquist said.

...and pass the back bacon!