Time to stock up on wine: SAQ employees are threatening to go on strike this month

A strike could soon hit the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) after hundreds of its technical and professional employees voted overwhelmingly in favour of walkouts.

According to a press release issued by the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), around 500 members of the Syndicat du personnel technique et professionnel de la SAQ (SPTP-SAQ-CSN) voted 99% in favour of a 15-day strike mandate. The vote comes as negotiations to renew their collective agreement continue, with little progress so far.

The group includes staff responsible for SAQ.com, IT systems, warehouse operations, payroll, product quality, and communications, which are roles considered critical to keeping the Crown corporation running.

Their last collective agreement expired on March 31, 2025. The union says recent wage increases haven't kept up with inflation and that members are demanding a salary catch-up, along with the right to telework written into their new deal. Union representatives argue that the SAQ's current offers would effectively reduce employees' purchasing power at a time when living costs continue to climb.

"We were very patient before arriving at this strike mandate," said Steve D'Agostino, president of the SPTP-SAQ-CSN. "We remain hopeful we can reach an agreement and avoid a strike. The SAQ will have to do its part."

Back in 2021, nearly 800 SAQ employees working in warehouse and delivery roles went on strike, leading to supply chain issues and empty shelves in stores.

If a strike happens this time around, it would be the first in the union's five-decade history. CSN representatives said the message to SAQ management is clear: the work of these employees is essential and deserves fair recognition.

The vote comes just days after the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) wrapped up its own two-week strike, which caused widespread transit disruptions across Montreal. While the SAQ's technical staff haven't announced when they'll walk off the job, the union warned that any work stoppage would have "immediate impacts" across the SAQ's warehouses and stores.