Today, the union representing 33,000 provincial government employees announced its first planned job action after issuing 72 hours' strike notice last week.

This afternoon at 3:30, B.C. General Employees' Union pickets will go up around four B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch wholesale and distribution centres.

This targeted action will be at the following locations, according to a BCGEU news release:

• Delta Distribution Centre (DDC) – 7003 72nd Street, Delta, B.C.
• Kamloops Distribution Centre (KDC) – 9881 Dallas Drive, Kamloops, B.C.
• Richmond Distribution Centre (RDC) – 3389 No 6 Rd, Richmond, B.C.
• Victoria Wholesale Customer Centre – 2291 Government Street, Victoria, B.C.

At this stage, the BCGEU is not putting government retail liquor and retail cannabis stores behind picket lines. Nor is there any job action at the LDB head office in Burnaby.

In 2020-21, the LDB generated net income of $1.16 billion.

The LDB has a monopoly on the wholesale side of the industry. Government-owned liquor stores compete with private stores for retail sales.

It remains to be seen what impact the picketing of wholesale operations will have on the B.C. liquor and wine industry, not to mention future supplies of liquor to B.C.'s hospitality sector and private stores.