(Toronto) The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and the union representing 10,000 of its workers reached a tentative agreement Friday to end a two-week strike.
The LCBO said in a statement that the tentative agreement would end the strike at 12:01 a.m. Monday if ratified and the retailer plans to reopen its stores as early as Tuesday.
“We look forward to welcoming our unionized staff back to work serving Ontarians,” the LCBO said in a statement. “We recognize the disruption the strike has caused to our employees, partners and customers who rely on our services, and we thank them all for their patience and understanding as we begin to return to normal operations.”
Workers represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) began their strike on July 5 and negotiations resumed Wednesday morning.
No details were immediately available on the terms of the agreement, but OPSEU said the dispute largely revolved around Premier Doug Ford’s plan to allow convenience and grocery stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails. The union says the increase in ready-to-drink sales threatens their jobs.
The LCBO had said it wasn’t an issue at the bargaining table. The latest offer made public included wage increases of 7 per cent over three years, a special adjustment for some warehouse positions, better access to benefits for part-time casual workers, the conversion of about 400 casual workers to full-time permanent positions and improved severance provisions.
Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said he was pleased the two sides had reached an agreement in principle.
“This is good news for workers and good news for Ontarians,” he wrote in a statement. “We look forward to working together to provide choice and convenience across Ontario.”
The union has not yet commented, except to say that a tentative agreement has been reached.