Public Speaks On NB Liquor Closure In St. George

With NB Liquor closing their stores in St. George and Bristol, replacing them with much smaller agency stores, employees -- including 7 in St. George -- are being given the option to relocate to other corporate stores in different towns.

Tide News spoke with two employees from the St. George location who said they were told by their employer not to make any comments to the media.

So we asked the general public.

It was a mixed opinion with some people making comments, "I don't really care about the closure."
One man noted, "This would be cheaper for taxpayers in the end."

Most residents we asked about the closure paid concern to the employees.
One women says, "To put people out of work who live around here, to place them in other positions around the province, it's not right. They (provincial government) need to look at the people in this community."

Another man says, "It's sad really, because this community needs the stability of this business. We strive off of that store and not having it will have a big impact on the community."

Between the two stores, six full-time, permanent jobs will be lost in the small towns. The closures are slated for the end of 2012.

CUPE Asking NB Liquor To Reconsider

The union representing NB Liquor store employees is asking the corporation to reconsider closing the stores.


CUPE Local 963 President Martha Thompson says this decision is another blow to the economy of these communities, that these communities are not only losing good paying jobs, they are losing tax revenues as well.

The NB Liquor stores in St. George and Bristol are slated to be closed by the New Year. They will be replaced with much smaller agency stores, and employees are being given the option to transfer to another corporate store.

Thompson says the agency stores will offer a much smaller selection with practically no customer service, adding, it seems New Brunswickers don't deserve the same level of services and selection from NB Liquor than people living in larger centres.

Thompson says they believe this is part of a scheme by the Alward government to privatize NB Liquor, and instead of facing the public backlash by privatizing all at once, the government is privatizing the corporation, piece by piece.