Canucks fans going to Friday night's game are being asked not to cross a picket line that was set up by concession and restaurant workers at GM Place on Friday.

B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair said earlier in the day he was not asking fans to stay away from Friday’s game, maintaining the union's fight was with Aramark.

Sinclair later revised his comment.

“What we're saying to them now is, there's a picket line there. We can't ask people to cross picket lines, that would be wrong…We'd appreciate that people don't go to the game,” said Sinclair.

The picket line was set up after talks between food and beverage workers at GM Place and their employer broke down Thursday night.

About 750 Aramark workers employees put up pickets around the arena on the edge of downtown Vancouver around 6 a.m. PT Friday amid concerns they may be laid off during the Olympics. The concession stand workers are represented by Local 40 of the UNITE HERE union.

'We'd appreciate that people don't go to the game.'— B.C. Federation of Labour president Jim Sinclair

Peanuts from pickets

Sinclair said union members plan to pass out free peanuts to fans Friday night as they enter the arena as a symbol of their wages and working conditions.

Both the union and the employer said they expect the pickets will only be up for one day and the workers will return to work after Friday's walkout.

Earlier this week, Canucks Sports and Entertainment, which owns and operates the hockey team and General Motors Place, said a handshake agreement with the union would ensure the workers would picket only public entrances.

That means players and other staff will be able to enter without having to cross a picket line, but fans will still have to cross picket lines.

"At this point, there is a door for other unions to go through — that's been ordered by law. And so we are playing this one day at a time," Sinclair confirmed on Friday morning.

Olympic layoffs looming?

The UNITE HERE Local 40 website says Aramark food service workers at GM Place have been without a contract since December 2008. They are seeking greater job security, including assurances they will have work during the Olympics, higher wages, health benefits and a better locker-room for female workers.

This week, NDP Leader Carole James raised concerns that the 750 workers might lose their jobs for a month when the organizers of the 2010 Winter Games move into GM Place next February to host Olympic hockey games.

But the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee said on Tuesday they didn't think there would be any job losses at GM Place during the Olympics.

Terry Wright, vice-president of services, said VANOC is still working on a deal with the owner of GM Place to provide food and beverage services.

Wright said VANOC and Canucks Sports and Entertainment expect the current caterer will be used and there will be no job losses.

In fact, there might be additional jobs created, as GM Place will hold three games a day during the Olympics.

But Sinclair said the union has been told there is no guarantee they will have jobs during the Olympics, and the workers could be out of work during the Games.

On Monday, approximately 200 workers at Hastings Race track in East Vancouver learned they would be laid off for a month during the Olympics because that facility will be closed down during the Games as it is inside a security zone.

The UNITE HERE union was created through a merger of the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees and Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union.