After a two-week strike, over 9,000 OPSEU members working at the LCBO have voted to ratify a new contract. ONA members are proud to have stood in solidarity with LCBO workers as they fought to end the privatization of alcohol sales and better their working conditions and job security.
As nurses and health-care professionals, ONA members know how important it is to protect public services, protect public revenues that support health-care funding, and protect good jobs in their communities.
That’s why many members organized solidarity visits to picket lines across the province.
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 and location 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
Upcoming Solidarity Pickets
City | Location | Date/Time | Contact |
---|---|---|---|
Belleville | 5503 ON-62, Belleville, ON K8N 4Z7 | July 18 from 12-1 p.m. | Local031BUP588@ona.org |
Cobourg | Elgin St & Rogers, Cobourg, ON | July 19 and 22 from 12-1 p.m. | HKPRBUP@ona.org |
Brantford | Will Bouma’s office, 96 Nelson Street, Brantford, ON | July 18 from 10-11:30 a.m. | local007@ona.org |
Kitchener | 324 Highland Rd W #6, Kitchener, ON N2M 5G2 | July 19 from 4-6 p.m. | local55bupstmarys@ona.org |
London | Wonderland and Southdale, London, ON | July 18 at 5 p.m. | local045@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 picket captain 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.