Ontario LCBO strike: Stores to reopen Tuesday

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and the union representing 10,000 of its workers reached a tentative agreement on Saturday, clearing the way for stores to open on Tuesday.

The move on tentative agreements comes a day after a deal between the LCBO and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) was put on hold on Friday.

Both parties have signed the return-to-work protocol that does not include any new monetary elements, the LCBO said in a statement on Saturday.

“We look forward to welcoming our 10,000 unionized employees back to work on Monday and opening our stores to shoppers on Tuesday,” the LCBO said.

The vote on the provisional agreement is scheduled for Saturday. Although employees will return to work on Monday, stores will not reopen to the public until Tuesday.

OPSEU released a statement on Saturday morning, saying they welcomed the tentative agreement and that it achieved what they had set out to fight for during the two-week strike.

“This tentative agreement protects good jobs in every community and the public revenue generated by the LCBO,” said Colleen MacLeod, chair of the bargaining team.

“Labor has made it clear to Ontarians that Doug Ford’s plan to sell alcohol everywhere directly threatened jobs and government revenues. While this round of negotiations will not end until the agreement is ratified, I am incredibly proud of the workers and the stand they have taken.”