Union members took to the picket line in front of the Timmins LCBO location Friday morning.
After failing to reach an agreement during bargaining in Toronto by midnight on Thursday, July 4, Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 683 walked off the job. The liquor retailer locations will be closed for 14 days, but home delivery service and online ordering are still available.
Workers from across the province are taking part in the job action. This is the first time LCBO workers have gone on strike.
“They weren’t budging at the tables, and nothing happened yesterday, so here we are,” said Local 683 president Denise Deblois.
The union is asking for more full-time positions in the LCBO stores. Across the province, 70 per cent of the workers are casual. Deblois said she sees the trouble her younger coworkers have trying to make ends meet on casual hours.
“I’d like to see young people get full-time jobs,” she said. “It’s very hard to survive on a casual wage and no benefits.”
The LCBO has released a statement claiming the union has walked away from negotiations.
OPSEU Local 683 represents workers in 19 LCBO stores across northeastern Ontario, including Timmins, Moosonee, Chapleau, Folyet, Cobalt and Liskeard.
“We cover a lot of ground,” said Denis Chenier, OPSEU union representative.
The union is also opposed to the provincial government’s plan to allow convenience stores to sell beer and wine.
“If someone is being belligerent, that can be intimidating to a young or inexperienced person,” said Andrew Christianson, Local 683 secretary based out of Kapuskasing.
“We’ve done a lot of training, and you won’t get that in a convenience store.”
The provincial government announced in May 2024 that plans were moving forward to expand the availability of products like beer, coolers and ciders into more retailers in August for the convenience of consumers.
“They keep bringing up convenience, at what cost?” said Deblois. “There’s no reason why they can’t have convenience with the stores they already have. Hire some full-time people and we’ll give you the convenience hours.”
If the strike lasts longer than 14 days, the LCBO said in a press release that they would gradually reopen stores on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
TimminsToday has reached out to the LCBO, but at time of publication, has not received comment.
