170 SLGA workers receive job-loss notices

The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) says 170 workers received 60-day job-loss notices in mid-July.

However, a representative with SLGA said it could be several months or more before those workers are impacted.

Jim Engel, vice president of corporate services and gaming operations, said the notices were distributed in July to comply with its collective bargaining agreement.

"For a change of this magnitude, we give them a minimum 60 days notice of job abolishment," Engel said. "Practically speaking, it will be much more than 60 days notice because at this point we actually haven't been able to give any of our employees a specific date when their last day of work will be."

In November 2015, the Sask. Party government said it would convert 40 government liquor stores to private liquor retailers. The plan also calls for a dozen new private stores.

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Engel said the exact date of job losses depends on when SLGA stores actually close.

"That won't happen until late this calendar year, or into next calendar year," he said. 

"In most circumstances, we won't be closing any of our stores until the private operator is ready to open their store. And we expect that time frame will vary community by community, so it won't be a single date all across the province."

According to Engel, SLGA is already working with affected employees. He said circumstances vary for each person.

"We do have a number of employees who have already advised us that they're electing to take severance," he said. "So they may be near retirement and so they would just take severance and leave. We've had other employees indicate that they would be interested in moving to a different location potentially."

Some employees will also have the option of being put on a re-employment list, Engel said.