Thousands of employees with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) are set to walk off their jobs on Friday as the union says “talks have broken down” and it is not hopeful that a deal will be reached to avert a strike.
“LCBO workers are ready to make history. Tonight, (Premier Doug) Ford’s dry summer begins. More than 9,000 LCBO workers will be out on strike as a 12:01 a.m.,” Colleen MacLeod, the chair of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) ‘s bargaining team, told reporters at a news conference on Thursday evening.
“We have been very clear that we will not back down in our fight for a strong future for the LCBO and the public services funded by LCBO revenues.”
The possible strike will be the first in the Crown corporation’s history. The LCBO has said that all 685 stores will be closed for two weeks if the strike goes ahead.
On July 19, if workers are still on the picket line, just 30 LCBO stores will open provincewide for in-store shopping. However, they will only operate on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with “limited hours in effect.”
“We understand that a strike is disruptive. We encourage everyone who is feeling frustrated to call on Ford and tell him not to ruin the summer and get back to the LCBO bargaining table with a meaningful commitment to a strong future for the LCBO,” MacLeod said.
“We are certain that if we had been bargaining with our employer, not the premier, we would have reached a deal, and this strike could have been avoided.”
Talks have been centred on the Ford government’s expansion of alcohol sales to convenience stores. The union said it is not against the policy, but at the same time, the province has not made any guarantees that the LCBO and its employees won’t be affected by the expansion.
“We see this as an existential crisis for the LCBO,” OPSEU President JP Hornick said. “Do we want to have a public provider of alcohol as we’ve had for the past 100 years? Or are we just moving into a Wild West private model?”
When asked if Ontarians should prepare for a long strike, MacLeod said: “It’s up to Doug. This is Doug’s dry summer.”
“We need everybody to understand that this is about our futures, and this is about our jobs,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Crown corporation has said its focus was “achieving a deal that is fair to bargaining unit employees and helps the LCBO continue to operate effectively and efficiently for Ontario in a new marketplace.”
The province said it was disappointed by the union’s decision to walk away from the bargaining table before the deadline and urged representatives to return to the table.
“We are particularly disappointed that OPSEU is opposed to giving people in Ontario the choice and convenience of buying readymade drinks, like coolers and seltzers, in grocery and convenience stores,” read a statement from Office of Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy.
“In the meantime, we encourage people across Ontario to take advantage of the thousands of available options, including local breweries, wineries, cideries, distilleries, restaurants, bars, LCBO convenience outlets, grocery stores, and The Beer Store.”
The LCBO noted that customers can still purchase alcohol online through its website and mobile app for free home delivery during the potential strike. However, it warned that a reasonable cap on products will be instituted.
The Crown corporation also said it would continue receiving and fulfilling wholesale orders and that LCBO Specialty Services and Duty-Free will remain operational.