Toronto Liquor Workers Extend Strike Deadline

Along with a municipal workers strike fracturing Toronto, the Canadian city may soon be in the grip of a strike by workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario.

Along with a municipal workers strike fracturing Toronto, the Canadian city may soon be in the grip of a strike by workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Today, there was a rush on booze and wine at local LCBO stores all across Ontario. Why? News that talks between the government-run agency and its unionized workers were not going well and the chances of a strike as of 12:01 am this evening were pretty high. It is being reported by several news outlets that a deal has yet to be reached between management and midnight fast approaches. The main issue for a strike appears to be about the percentage of part-time "casual" workers, as opposed to full-time permanent workers. Casual workers now make up about 60% of the LCBO workforce and can make wages of up to $18 per hour. However, they do not receive the benefits that full-time employees enjoy. The LCBO has never been hit with a strike. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union workers have been without a contract since March 31st and the two sides have been negotiating for about four weeks. The LCBO employs approximately 7,000 people at the province's liquor stores and it generates profits for the provincial government of over 4 million dollars a day. In the face of the looming deadline, the more than 600 liquor stores in Ontario were extremely busy today with long lines ups, bare shelves and a lot of angry and grumpy customers. Fathers-of-the-brides were busy trying to buy cases of booze and wine for their daughters weddings, scheduled for later in the summer, not willing to take the chance that the strike might interfere with their daughter's special day. Canada Day party's have been planned for months and one would assume that no one wants to add 10-year-old Peppermint Schnappes or Cointreau to flavor up their Sangria. Restaurant and bar owners who are dealing with the extra expense of having to hire someone to haul their garbage away (who wants to sit on a patio beside bags full of stinking garbage?) also were stocking up on liquor and wine for their customers. Cash flow may be a problem in these already difficult times. Today, Ontarians heard the news was that management was going to attempt to keep the stores open, but given that the shelves were almost bare, many were wondering if the truckers who deliver would cross picket lines to replenish them. Also, given the acrimony going on and the visual of a group of striking workers attacking citizens at garbage transfer stations as a result of the Toronto municipal workers strike, would the citizens of this fine Province be willing to cross picket lines to buy booze? The LCBO and it's workers have gone down to the wire during their last three negotiations, in 2000, 2002 and 2005. Hopefully this year the end will be similar and they'll settle it, but as of this moment, it doesn't look good. Leslie Roberts, at Global Tv news tweeted tonight just before he went on the air at 11: @lrobertsglobal Is it just me, or with the line ups at LCBO does it seem we Ontarians have a drinking problem? My answer to him would be: Probably so, but at least we won't be serving up or drinking that ancient Peppermint Schnappes next week :) POSTSCRIPT: It is being reported that the strike deadline has been extended and stores will be open tomorrow. It is being reported that the deadline would not have been extended had the two sides not believed they were close to an agreement.