LCBO stores reopen across Ontario after two-week strike by workers

TORONTO — Customers were able to return to hundreds of Ontario’s liquor stores as they reopened Tuesday following a two-week strike, but tensions between the union representing workers and the government dragged on.

About 10,000 Liquor Control Board of Ontario workers had returned Monday to prepare for the opening of nearly 700 stores after they walked off the job on July 5.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents LCBO workers, had said the labour dispute was largely about Premier Doug Ford’s plan to allow convenience and grocery stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails. The expanded sales, it said, was an existential threat to the workers’ future.

The sniping continued Tuesday as the union took umbrage with Ford’s comments from Monday, when he said the strike should never have happened. The union said it made “significant gains” as a direct result of the strike.

“LCBO workers are proud of what they achieved in this contract, which wouldn’t have been possible without the strike,” said Colleen MacLeod, chair of the union’s LCBO bargaining unit. “They’re also happy to get back to work serving their communities again.”

The three-year deal, which the LCBO workers ratified over the weekend, sees an eight per cent wage increase over three years, the conversion of about 1,000 casual employees to permanent part-time positions and no store closures over the course of the agreement.

The union said converting those casual positions into 1,000 permanent part-time jobs and the guarantee of no closures for the duration of the contract was not on the table before the strike.

Meanwhile, the government has said its alcohol expansion plans will give Ontarians more choice and convenience. During the strike, Ford even sped up the date when grocery stores already licensed to sell beer and wine could add read-to-drink cocktails to their offerings, with grocers able to place orders starting last Thursday.

Ford also said Monday that he believes the LCBO has a bright future.

Outside one LCBO in Toronto’s west end, Jay Brafman lambasted both sides for the strike.

“I think (the union) basically held hostage Ontarians and that’s not the right way to get more out of your job,” he said.

Brafman, a fan of the government’s plan to expand alcohol sales into convenience stores, also criticized Ford.

“If he really wanted to show some courage, he would have liquidated the LCBO,” he said.

Brafman, a vodka drinker, was put out during the strike as the LCBO is the main seller of spirits across the province.

“It cost me a ton of money having to go out to bars if I wanted to drink,” he said, adding that he’s happy the stores are open again.

Desi Noelneshak dropped by a store to pick up something special for his “lady.”

He was looking for a bottle of wine that he could not find at his local Wine Rack store. While he was happy to be able to return to the LCBO, he said he was also in favour of expanded access to alcohol.

“They should be having it in corner stores,” he said.

Graham Duncan was also among those who went out to the reopened stores. He said he supports the workers and was happy to see them get pay raises and better job security.

“I’ve always thought it was ridiculous that they had so many temporary workers given how much money they make every year,” he said.

“But the fact that a lot of alcohol sales now is going to go into private hands will be stripping revenue out of the public purse and that’s bad too.”

In addition to reopening stores on Tuesday, the LCBO said there will also no longer be limits placed on online orders, but those orders could take up to three weeks for delivery.

Ford has been working on expanding alcohol sales in the province for years.

His previous plan was to get beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails in convenience stores and all grocery stores by 2026, completing a 2018 election campaign promise. But in May he announced that would instead happen this year, capping speculation of an early election that Ford did not outright deny.

Convenience stores will be allowed to sell beer, wine and coolers starting Sept. 5 while newly licensed grocery stores can do so starting Oct. 31.

An “early implementation agreement” with The Beer Store involves the province paying the company up to $225 million to help it keep stores open and workers employed. The province is also giving brewers a rebate on an LCBO fee that normally brings in $45 million a year, and it is giving retailers a 10 per cent wholesale discount.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2024.

Sheila Reid and Liam Casey, The Canadian Press