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LCBO workers vote to strike as of July 5th

By Tim Davidson Jun 19, 2024 | 6:34 AM

The Ontario Public Service Union says it will be in a legal strike position as of July 5th at Liquor Control Board of Ontario outlets.

A strike vote was held last week, and 97 percent of OPSEU members voted in favour.

OPSEU requested a no-board report from the Ontario Ministry of Labour and the 17 day count down started on Tuesday.

Colleen McLeod is chair of OPSEU’S Liquor Board Employees Division. and says they are concerned what the Conservatives are doing.

“Doug Ford said he won’t sell off the LCBO, but now he’s giving it away,” McLeod said during a press conference on Tuesday.

“And that comes with a price tag in the billions.  We say, ‘not on our watch’.”

McLeod says part of their fight is with the Conservative’s privatization agenda.

“We see the big box Ontario that Ford is trying to build, where everything, even our health care and education, will make corporations and CEOs richer. And to that we say, ‘Hell no”.  Nobody wants an Uber rather than an ambulance.”

Eight bargaining dates are scheduled over the next two weeks.

The union says it did not want to strike during the first long weekend of summer and that’s why they chose that date.