LCBO Says Deal Reached, Stores Expected to Open Next Week

A man walks past an LCBO in Ottawa on March 19, 2020. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) says it has signed a back-to-work agreement with the union and stores will open on Tuesday, July 23.

The LCBO announced a tentative deal had been reached on July 19, but then hours later said the union made more monetary demands, a move it said equated to bad-faith bargaining.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) said the proposal it put forward was a back-to-work plan, not part of the tentative agreement. It also said it expected the LCBO to make an alternative offer as part of the process to get workers back on the job.

LCBO and the union appear to have resolved the issues, according to a statement released on July 20.

“LCBO and OPSEU have now also both signed off on a return-to-work protocol that does not include any new monetary items,” an LCBO news release said.

OPSEU said the tentative agreement had been presented to members late July 19.

“The details were communicated to the OPSEU/SEFPO members Friday evening, and a vote to ratify it will take place over the weekend,” the union said in a statement on its website.

“This tentative deal protects good jobs in every community and the public revenues generated by the LCBO,” said Colleen MacLeod, chair of the bargaining team.

OPSEU, which represents more than 9,000 liquor store employees in the province, remains critical of the government’s decision to allow the sale of ready-to-drink beverages in convenience, grocery, and big box stores.

“The workers have made it clear to Ontarians that Doug Ford’s alcohol-everywhere plan directly threatened jobs and public revenues,” Ms. MacLeod said in the union’s statement.

The government says the expansion is a public policy move to give people choice and convenience and support beverage producers in the province.

Ten days into the strike, the government announced it would allow convenience and grocery stores to start selling the drinks sooner than expected.

Ready-to-drink beverages and large beer pack sizes were permitted to be sold starting on July 18, the government said in a news release.

It is allowing 450 grocery stores to start selling beer, cider, and wine prior to the previously announced date of Aug. 1.

LCBO employees walked off the job on July 5, closing 669 locations across Ontario.

Jennifer Cowan contributed to this article.