By Jim Selby, AFL Staff

[Edmonton] Brewers Distributor (BDL), a beer warehousing and transportation company owned jointly by Labatt and Molson breweries, locked out their 104 workers at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, 2000.

The workers, members of Retail Wholesale – Canadian Auto Workers (RW/CAW) Local 285, had previously taken a 100 per cent strike vote – but had not yet given the company the 72 hour notice required under law.

The breweries have been playing hardball at the negotiating table, according to Local 285 President, Brent Potter. "The employer announced that they were closing the Edmonton warehouse this September," said Potter, "unless the operation became market competitive."

Becoming ‘competitive’, according to the employer, means workers accepting a 30% wage and benefit cut. Further employer demands include the transfer of 24 full-time workers to part-time positions.

The Labatt/Molson front company has apparently been planning this confrontation for quite a while. The company had massive amounts of beer stockpiled at intermodal freight yards in Edmonton, and in Saskatchewan – just waiting for the dispute to start.

BDL had even been stockpiling beer a month ago at the warehouse owned by MTE - the company they are contracting their work to in Edmonton during the strike - until the Labour Relations Board ordered them to stop.

Potter isn’t impressed by BDL’s public promise not to use replacement workers. "Twice now the company has attempted to bring trucks across the picket line," said Potter. "That has really angered our members."

Alberta Federation of Labour President Audrey Cormack also sees the company’s actions in a negative light. "The company is trying to extort concessions from its workers under threat of plant closure," said Cormack. That is the lowest form of employer negotiating tactics."

Brent Potter is sure of his members’ resolve. "Morale is high," he observes, "but we are spread thin in our picketing. We could really use some picket line support."

Picket lines are up 24 hours a day at 50^th street and 90^th avenue in Edmonton.