Costco makes good on promise to state liquor workers
Jun 1, 2012, 12:27 PM | Updated: Jun 4, 2012, 12:36 am
Costco has followed through on a promise to offer displaced state liquor store workers job interviews after an initiative to privatize the liquor business passed.
Hundreds of state workers lost their jobs after voters approved the Costco-backed Initiative 1183, which took the state out of the liquor business.
According to Costco, 196 former state liquor store employees took them up on their offer for a job interview. Although the interview was not a promise of employment, 26 were hired and have already begun work.
An additional 15 will start work at a Costco warehouse within the next week.
“Certainly the initiative impacted them and to the degree that we could help, we wanted to do that,” said John McKay, executive vice president of Costco’s Northern Division. “I think there were other grocery store chains and distributors that did the same.”
Mark Lyons, 51, was among the workers who were offered and accepted employment. He began work at a North Seattle Costco warehouse in mid-April, after a career as a manager at state liquor store #115. He began with the liquor board in 1987.
“Nobody wants to start their career over after they’ve put so much time and commitment into building their careers,” Lyons said Friday, the first day of privatized liquor sales. “To have that taken away by the battle that went on, I think other than fear, it makes you a little angry I suppose.”
But as Lyons faced unemployment along with hundreds of other displaced workers, the offer from Costco was too good to pass up.
“I was just interested in taking care of myself and my family,” he said. “With Costco offering, it gave me something to go after. It was good to have them in the wings; you know to be able to fall back on. I haven’t missed a beat.”
McKay said that 25 former state liquor store workers were offered jobs, but declined. Twenty-seven canceled their scheduled interviews.
In November, the union that represented state liquor workers called Costco’s offer insensitive given that they were responsible for taking the jobs away.
By the numbers:
196 former state liquor store employees applied
26 were hired and have already started work
15 will start work within the next week
25 were offered jobs but declined
27 canceled their interviews
