Over 9,000 LCBO workers represented by OPSEU are on their first-ever strike. They need your support!
LCBO puts $2.5 billion in revenues into public services every year. The money from their alcohol sales and taxes goes toward health care, education, housing, public infrastructure and more.
Now, Doug Ford’s putting it all at risk and forcing LCBO workers to strike. Ford wants to hand over more of the LCBO alcohol sales to private for-profit corporate grocery and convenience stores like Loblaws and Circle K.
So, what are LCBO workers’ demands?
- End privatization of alcohol sales to protect their jobs and the public services LCBO revenues fund.
- Better working conditions and job security for their members, 70 per cent of whom are casual, including more permanent full-time and part-time jobs, better scheduling, and access to benefits.
This strike matters to ONA members because as public sector workers, we want to see more public services and fight privatization. If LCBO workers win, we will all win by protecting public services, raising wages and working conditions, and building our power as workers.
Solidarity Visits
Join a solidarity visit! This is a group of two or more ONA members showing up to an LCBO picket line to show support for striking workers. Wear your ONA shirts and come with flags and signs to show that ONA members are there in solidarity!
Check back here for details of confirmed solidarity visits when you can join other ONA members.
Get in touch with the ONA contact listed for the visit so they can keep you updated in case there are changes to the picket schedule!
Don’t see a solidarity visit close to you? Organize your own! It only takes two or more people to make it happen. Find a picket near you with the OPSEU picket finder and contact your Bargaining Unit President to let them know you would like to do a solidarity visit!
Make sure to email your regional Member Mobilizer with your visit time so we can add it to the list below and order your signs below.
- Region 1 and Region 2: Isabel Donald isabeld@ona.org
- Region 3: Stacey Papernick staceyp@ona.org
- Region 4 and Region 5: Stephanie Fung stephanief@ona.org
ONA Solidarity Picket Schedule
| City | Location | Date/Time | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leamington | #153 Seacliff Drive East & Erie Street South, Leamington, ON | July 14 from 10-11 a.m. | jodee.brown@local8.ona.org |
Bargaining Units and Locals: Adopt-A-Line
If you’re a Bargaining Unit President or a Local Coordinator, you can “adopt-a-line” and show up regularly to support the same picket line, maybe the same time every week! The most important thing is to show up, but you can also check with the striking workers if they need anything – food, gift cards, or even support at a certain time of day.
Email Premier Doug Ford
Email Doug Ford and your Member of Provincial Parliament using OPSEU’s emailer on their campaign website.
Share on Social Media
Show your solidarity with LCBO workers by sharing images of your picket visits and the solidarity graphic below.
Remember to post with the hashtags #SupportLCBOWorkers and #KeepLCBOPublic and tag @opseu and @OntarioNurses.
Also send your pictures to digital@ona.org and include your Local number, location and other details.
Can I support a picket line if I do policy work on alcohol consumption? Is it a conflict of interest?
Yes, you can attend a picket line. You are supporting workers to protect public services and to get a fair contract. It is in line with the work you do to have alcohol distribution publicly controlled because LCBO workers are trained to sell alcohol to those of the legal drinking age. They are required and monitored to ensure they are following the law. Also, they have training on how to address issues that might arise with people who have addictions/alcohol dependence. It is in the interest of public health to have alcohol sales publicly controlled and delivered.
What will happen to the $2.5 billion dollars in revenue if alcohol sales are privatized?
Currently, $2.5 billion of LCBO revenues are invested in public services. This is what striking workers are fighting to protect. If alcohol sales are privatized, revenues will go to grocery stores and convenience stores, resulting in profit for CEOs, rather than money being re-invested in public services like health care and education.
Who is impacted by the transfer of alcohol sales to private for-profit stores?
It affects all the workers that work for the LCBO. Most of this workforce are women, who face potential job loss with the privatization of alcohol sales.
It also affects everyone who lives in Ontario. If alcohol sales are further privatized, that means the loss of the $2.5 billion dollars in revenues that currently go towards public services, like health care and education. This affects ONA members, because this means there will be less money for health care.
Handheld Signs
Download an e-copy of our assorted handheld sign designs (11″x17″). Members can also order printed signs using our online form.
