Union lauds store opening

By Dan Hilborn
Published Nov. 24, 2004


It's not every day that the B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union sends out a press release applauding the provincial government, but that's exactly what happened on Monday.

"New LDB signature store a small step forward in providing service, products," proclaimed a one-page statement released by the union on Monday.

But the press release, which offered praise for the opening of a 'signature' liquor store at the HighGate Village complex at Edmonds and Kingsway, also drew attention to two outstanding union issues.

"The HighGate store opening is a good step forward, but it still doesn't have coolers for cold beer, and the LDB has cut the planned hours of operation," said BCGEU president George Heyman.

David Knowles, chair of BCGEU local 503, said he is still not convinced the government is following through on its commitment to allow the new liquor store to compete effectively with the private sector.

Knowles, who helped collect more than 3,000 names on a petition opposing last week's closure of the liquor store on Royal Oak, said the union has now learned that there is an application to reopen the closed location as a private liquor store.