Société des alcools du Québec is following in Amazon’s footsteps by wanting to centralize and automate its online order assembly service, SAQ.com condemns the employees’ union.
Posted yesterday at 11:59
“We oppose the idea of turning SAQ into a bottle vending machine,” said Lisa Courtmanche, president of the SEMB-SAQ-CSN Union, which represents about 200 workers (53 permanent and 150 part-time) from SAQ. .com.
Go back. In February 2021, Crown Corporation announced it would invest $ 48.5 million to expand to 200,000 sq. Km.2 Its distribution center is in Montreal and to obtain an automated order picking system. Aim: To offer 20,000 different types of products online – currently 3,000 – and to enable customers to receive their delivery within 24 hours. Currently, ordering online can take three to five days to reach the doorstep of wine and spirit lovers. To do this, SAQ.com employees learned on May 5 that they would be sent back to the distribution center by September and that they would change their union accreditation. The “centralization” method was condemned by the SEMB-SAQ-CSN in a press release on Friday.
“There is no guarantee that jobs will be protected with automation,” he said.Me Court Manche in the interview. She fears that by increasing the number of items available online, SAQ will reduce the variety of products in its outlets.
SAQ withdraws niche products that only serve online to increase its traffic. Less customer service is provided and there are positions that can be eliminated in the branches.
Lisa Courtmanche, President of the SEMB-SAQ-CSN Union
The union is proposing a rather “decentralized” approach, which will allow customers across Quebec to purchase products online from their nearest branch instead of having to place their orders systematically through the Metropolitan Distribution Center.
“Without losing a job,” SAQ said
“The integration of our unit picking operations is done without job losses: this was true when the project to expand and modernize our Montreal Distribution Center was announced, which is still true today,” SAQ spokesman Clemens Beaulieu said in an email to Zendron. Press. “Our site dedicated to preparing online orders is working at full capacity and does not allow us to respond to the increase in online sales. ⁇
She believes the growing number of products offered online and the delivery within 24 hours are “services demanded by Quebeckers”. MMe Beaulieu also wants to reassure employees who work at the Zendron store. “Our branches and personalized service are appreciated by our customers and 96% of our sales take place in the store. Our branches are located everywhere in Quebec. ⁇
About The Author
