As the LCBO strike continues, local workers are getting support from friends.
Early this afternoon, about 20 OPSEU members who were locked out earlier this year by their employer stopped by to rally with the local LCBO staff,
The picket line in front of the Timmins LCBO location went up on July 5 when OPSEU Local 683 workers joined their peers province-wide in their first strike in LCBO history. The union’s focus has been on getting more permanent full-time positions in stores.
Sabrina Canuel is a permanent full-time employee at the LCBO in Timmins, but she started her career working part-time. She said the uncertainty of the part-time positions contributes to staff turnover.
“I would hate to get hired and not be guaranteed at least 10 hours a week,” she said. “If they had more permanent part-time and permanent full-time, I would keep my staff a lot longer.”
OPSEU Local 683 represents workers in 19 LCBO stores across northeastern Ontario, including Timmins, Moosonee, Chapleau, Folyet, Cobalt, and Liskeard.
In a July 11 press release, the LCBO said they were willing to talk if issues, like the sale of ready-to-drink beverages in convenience stores were off the table. The release claims that the LCBO negotiation team is confused as to what the union wants.
“We are ready to talk about job security. We are ready to talk about wages. We are ready to talk about benefits. If OPSEU is now prepared to agree that ready-to-drink beverages are a matter of public policy and not something that should be discussed as part of bargaining, we strongly encourage them to respond to our July 4 offer,” reads the press release. “We are at the table, ready for active negotiations to restart today.”
Local 683 secretary Andrew Christianson said there has been no official word from the union about negotiations.
On July 8, the provincial government released an ad featuring Premier Doug Ford. The ad was for an interactive map detailing the locations where people can still access alcoholic beverages, such as breweries, Beer Stores, and more.
“It’s more pissing us off than anything,” said Canuel.
Members of OPSEU Local 631, who were locked out of Canada Mental Health Association Cochrane-Temiskiming’s offices in February, showed their support for the LCBO workers with lunch and company on the picket line.
“They’re a small group, so we want to come out, make some noise, and support them,” said Maggie Wakeford, OPSEU/SEFPO Local 631 president.
Around 20 Local 631 members were on site at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 11.
The focus for the workers at the LCBO Timmins Location is on the day-to-day struggles of their coworkers, and messages from management and the provincial government aren’t putting a dent in their spirits, said Canuel.
“It just sucks all around,” she said. “He said, she said is saying it might be a lot longer. I hope not, but at the end of the day, we’ll still stand together.”
