Agreement to end LCBO strike called into question

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An agreement reached Friday to end a two-week strike at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario was called into question just hours after it was announced, with both sides accusing each other of acting in bad faith.

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Although the union representing the LCBO’s 10,000 workers announced a tentative agreement to end the strike earlier in the day, it said Friday afternoon that the strike would continue because the employer refused to sign a return-to-work protocol.

The LCBO fired back, announcing in a statement that it would file an unfair labour practice complaint against the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

“OPSEU agreed to the deal earlier today by signing a settlement protocol that requires a recommendation for ratification to its members,” the LCBO wrote.

“They have since made significant new financial demands that should have been dealt with at the negotiating table. Making new demands after a preliminary agreement is tantamount to negotiating in bad faith.”

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While OPSEU chairman JP Hornick denied that the union had any “new financial demands”, he said its proposals for resuming employment included demanding compensation for striking workers.

“They were not involved in the strike for several days and should be compensated for that time because, as we know, this strike was driven by an agenda that went far beyond this table,” Hornick said.

OPSEU had said the dispute was essentially about Premier Doug Ford’s plan to allow convenience stores and grocery stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails, and warned that expanded sales of these drinks would put their jobs at risk.

The LCBO had stated that this was not a matter for the bargaining table, pointing out that its last contract offer before the strike included wage increases, benefits and job security.

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During the strike, Ford pushed ahead with plans to expand alcohol offerings and accelerated the date by which grocery stores that already had licenses to sell beer and wine could begin offering the premixed cocktails and soft drinks. Those grocers were able to order the drinks starting Thursday, and by Friday, some of them were on store shelves.

The strike had led to the closure of LCBO stores since workers walked off the job on July 5. While online orders were still being fulfilled and the LCBO continued to deliver to licensees such as bars and restaurants, they had said they had run out of supplies as the strike continued for nearly two weeks.

The LCBO said in a statement on Friday that if the tentative agreement was ratified, the strike would end at 12:01 a.m. on Monday and stores would reopen on Tuesday.

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OPSEU said on Friday that the union would present the details of the provisional agreement to members before making it public. This was originally planned for Friday evening, but the timetable for this and a ratification vote is now unclear.

Hornick said the strike was difficult for workers.

“These are not wealthy workers expecting compensation of several thousand dollars per person,” Hornick said.

“They want it to be recognized that it is a hardship to be in crisis, it is a hardship to face the threat of privatization and the loss of their livelihoods. So if the LCBO believes that none of this should be compensated, then that should at least be made clear so that we can deal with it as adults at the negotiating table.”

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The LCBO’s last published offer included wage increases of seven percent over three years, a special adjustment for certain warehouse positions, improved access to benefits for casual workers, the conversion of about 400 casual workers to full-time employment and improved severance arrangements.

Ford’s original plan was to offer beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails in convenience stores and all grocery stores by 2026, but in May he announced that would happen later this year instead.

From September 5, convenience stores will be allowed to sell beer, wine and soft drinks, while newly licensed grocery stores will be able to do so from October 31.

An “early implementation agreement” with The Beer Store will see the province pay the company up to $225 million to keep its stores open and its employees employed. The province will also give the breweries a discount on their LCBO fee, which normally brings in $45 million a year, and give retailers a 10 per cent wholesale discount.

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https://twitter.com/OPSEU/status/1814351499020959897

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