7,500 LCBO workers across province hold strike vote

A province-wide strike vote for thousands ofLCBO staff workers has begunand the union representing the workers says the province's "ill-advised plan" to sell alcohol in grocery stores is a key concern.

• Beer sales coming to 80 more Ontario grocery stores
• Ontario unveils plan to allow up to 300 grocery stores to sell wine

Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union,said alcohol salesoutside the LCBO could spellthe end of government-owned alcohol retailer.

"This collective agreement is the one thing that stands between the outrightprivatizationof theLCBO,versus keeping it public," he said Monday.

And that, Thomas said, would be a lose-lose situation for both the province and the public.

"The more you give away your own market share, the profits go to private enterprise rather than public good," he said.

Those profits, he added, help the province pay for everything from schools to roads to hospitals.

LCBOmaintains 'competitive advantage'

But Heather MacGregor, executive director of thetrade association Drinks Ontario, said the province's plan to eventually roll out beer, wine, and cider sales in up to450 grocery stores is a positive move.

"Adding competition has been good for the LCBO. It's been good for grocers. It's been good for local producers, and the alcohol beverage trade in general," she said. "And most important, it's been good for the consumer."

Sales in grocery stores have helped to heightenthe importance ofthe customer experience, she said.

The LCBOstill maintains a "healthy competition advantage," MacGregor added, due to itsexclusive ability to sell spirits.

The province has said it's "modernizing" how alcohol is sold.

"Our goal is to ensure fair competition and distribution across the province," reads the Ontario web page on beer, wine and cider sales in grocery stores.

As for the LCBO, the retailer is "committed to reaching a negotiated collective agreement with OPSEU," according to spokespersonChristineBujold.

"We will be returning to the bargaining table later this week and will continue to negotiate towards afair settlement for our employees which takes into account the evolving retail landscape in which the LCBO operates," she said.

Job security, scheduling, and health and safety are among the issues on the tablefor7,500LCBOstaff represented by the union.

Voting is taking place on Monday and Tuesday.