Manitoba liquor, gaming workers ratify 4-year deal to avoid strike

The details of a labour deal for Manitoba's liquor and gaming workers are emerging, now that their contract has been ratified.

Liquor and lottery workers were poised to strike earlier this month until a tentative deal was reached just days before the Aug. 10 deadline.

Now, that deal has been ratified, and the details of what it contains are being made public.

Members of the Manitoba Government Employees Union Locals 425 and 426 will get raises of two percent per year for each of the four years and an increase in shift premiums, according to the MGEU.

The deal also includes a "no layoff clause" until March 2018.

Working conditions and contract language were some of the major issues that delayed the labour contract, according to the MGEU.

According to provincial officials, the negotiations were complex because they had to integrate two collective agreements after the merger of liquor and gaming.

A strike vote had been taken, but working through conciliation managed to avert the strike.

Bargaining has been going on since September 2014.