LCBO Strike Avoided Toronto (ECN) - A strike that would have left people in Ontario without their booze, has been avoided.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union have come to a tentative agreement and prevented a strike during the summer when sales are the highest. The agreement was made Wednesday night hours after the negotiators of each side extended the midnight strike deadline. The spokesperson, Chris Layton, stated that the LCBO has a record of getting around strikes. The strike today would have been the company’s very first.
The main issue was benefits and part-time hours. The liquor stores of the union were trying to make most of the jobs part time. These workers were trying to get the benefits improved for casual employees who do not receive benefits, sick time or vacation pay. These employees could also be called in to work in as little as two hours before the shift.
The union bargaining team says they have achieved their goal. They were not going to settle for any agreement that did not protect the livelihoods of the permanent staff and made proper gains for most of the members who are having a hard time making ends meet as casuals.
Many of the stores had their shelves cleared and a spokesperson for the provincial retailer said the LCBO racked up about $60 million in sales yesterday.
The shelves at the LCBO will be restocked by the end of the day, according to officials.
