It was quiet at the LCBO in Fonthill on Friday. Workers did not demonstrate outside the Fonthill store as the strike by members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union entered its second week.
And the work stoppage that has led to the closure of LCBO stores across the province means anyone wanting to have a cocktail or two at home will have to resort to alternatives, including LCBO convenience outlets. There are seven such outlets in Niagara, including three in convenience stores in Avondale, one of which is in Fenwick.
Did the strike affect them? Nobody knows for sure because nobody talks about it.
A woman at Fenwick Avondale who identified herself as the manager and owner of the Canboro Road store said she did not want to comment on the situation.
Likewise, a spokesman for Avondale’s corporate headquarters in Lincoln declined to comment on the impact of the strike on LCBO mini-stores.
Other Avondale stores with LCBO branches include one in Vineland and Wainfleet. Convenience stores are also located in Niagara Falls at Chippawa Foodland, in Wainfleet at Jenny-Jesse Gas, Netherby Variety in Welland and at Sherkston Supermart in Port Colborne.
In an email to PelhamTodayThe LCBO said it continues to fulfill customers’ online orders to the best of its ability.
“Our inventory selection fluctuates as we continue to move product in and out of our warehouses and depots, and we thank our customers for their understanding as they select alternative products where necessary,” the statement said. PelhamToday For more information, visit the LCBO website.
There, the agency apologized for the impact of the strike on customers, “including the small local shops that try to shop with us and our partners. Together with our teams, we are confident that we are currently taking all possible steps to be able to meet the needs of our customers.”
OPSEU, the union representing LCBO workers, said in a statement posted on its website on Friday that the strike was “a fight for the future of the LCBO and the $2.5 billion in revenue it generates annually for public services.”
Ontario residents and LCBO employees would lose out, while major retailers and oil companies would reap the benefits, the union said.
“The majority of convenience store licenses are owned by oil companies, not small corner shops,” the union said in a statement.
LCBO branches remained closed when workers went on strike at midnight on July 5.
In addition to the LCBO’s convenience stores, there are numerous locations throughout Niagara, including wineries, craft breweries and distilleries that sell spirits.
The province has now created an interactive online map that lists wineries, distilleries and craft breweries across the province, including several in Pelham, Thorold and Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Premier Doug Ford has come under criticism for a video published on Xformerly Twitter, is advertising the new map.
“Even though LCBO workers are on strike, there are still plenty of options for you to purchase beer, wine, cider, soft drinks and even spirits, including products made here in Ontario,” Ford said in the video.
Commentators were quick to express their outrage, with many portraying the video as nothing more than an attack on the striking workers.
In a statement, a spokesman for Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy’s office said the government was “more committed than ever to delivering on our promise of choice and convenience by expanding access to beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink beverages in convenience stores, grocery stores and big box stores starting in late summer.”
The spokesman also said it was time to resume contract negotiations.
“We call on the Ontario Public Service Employees Union to return to the bargaining table and work toward an agreement that puts Ontario consumers and producers first,” the statement said.
