Collective Bargaining

Issue #10 • May 29, 2009

  Download this issue

Union team sets strike deadline of June 24

Your union bargaining team has set June 24 as the strike deadline in contract talks with the LCBO.

“This week we went back to the bargaining table with high hopes that last week’s 93 per cent strike vote would convince the LCBO to bargain seriously on the main issues in this round,” OPSEU team chair Vanda Klumper said  this afternoon. “Unfortunately that has not happened.

“It is clear to our bargaining team that the LCBO needs the added motivation of a strike deadline before it will pay attention to what we’re saying.”

Some bargaining did take place this week, Klumper said, but there was no indication that the employer was prepared to address the members’ main priorities. The employer bargaining team was unavailable for negotiations next week.

The union team applied for a “No Board” report this afternoon to start the clock ticking towards the legal strike date.

“The job of all members right now is to get ready for strike action,” Klumper said. “We do not want to go on strike, but the better prepared we are and the more visible your support for your bargaining team is, the more likely it is that the employer will bargain seriously without us going on strike.”

OPSEU leadership from every Liquor Board local in the province will be in Toronto for strike training June 1-2. Local leaders will have more information to share with members afterwards.

“There is no union in Canada that is better at running strikes than we are, and we have won some damn good collective agreements through strike action,” said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. “What’s more important is that we have won hundreds of contract battles without going on strike – just because the employer knew we were ready to.”

Negotiations are scheduled to resume June 8-10 and then go from June 15 up to the strike deadline.

Meet your mobilizers!

OPSEU mobilizers are your co-workers at the LCBO. They’re the direct link between you and your bargaining team. The following people are assigned as mobilizers in the OPSEU locals indicated.

Guy Jeremschuck: Local 162

Dave Holmes: Local 1633

Mike Robertson: Local 164

Mike Sullivan: Local 165

Bonnie Jolley: Local 284

Paula Sossi: Local 285

Deb Altoft: Local 286

Shawn Swayze: Local 287

Matt Savelli: Local 287

Frank Gullace: Local 288

Maria Bauer: Locals 375, 3766

Doug Parks: Locals 377, 378

Eileen Allen: Local 379

Terri Taylor: Locals 497, 498

Devon Ford: Locals 499, 4100

Kevin Ramsay: Locals 5107, 5110

Roberto Ianni: Locals 5108, 5111

Craig Hadley: Locals 5109, 5110, 5111

Mellisa Jackson: All Locals in OPSEU Region 6

Anne Makela: All Locals in Region 7 

Your bargaining team

The OPSEU bargaining team for the Liquor Board Employees Division consists of seven members:

Vanda Klumper, Chair, OPSEU Local 165 vklumper@rogers.com

Denise Davis, Vice-Chair, Local 378 djdcones@yahoo.ca

Dora Robinson, Local 376 dora.robinson@gmail.com

Tracy Vyfschaft, Local 377 tcshaft@xplornet.com

Lori Davis, Local 499 loridavis@xplornet.com

Colleen MacLeod, Local 5107 colleenmacleod@opseu5107.org

Laurie Miller, Local 682 lauriem3@sympatico.ca

The bargaining team is assisted by OPSEU Senior Negotiator Rob Field, Senior Researcher Joyce Hansen, and other assigned staff.

Stay informed

As negotiations pick up speed, make it your priority to stay on top of bargaining news.

1. Attend upcoming bargaining information meetings (see listing on the OPSEU web site at www.opseu.org/lbed/collective.htm ).

2. Receive this bargaining bulletin (and our regular newsletter, the Echo) directly by e-mail. Just call OPSEUdirect at 1-800-268-7376 or (416) 443-8888 and give the operator your name and e-mail address.

3. Bookmark the address at www.opseu.org/lbed/collective.htm  on the OPSEU website to learn more about what’s happening inside the Liquor Board Employees Division.

EAP Hotline: 1-800-263-1401

The LCBO Employee Assistance Program is a confidential, hassle-free counseling service for eligible LCBO employees and their immediate families. For assistance, call 1-800-263-1401. To find out more about the program, visit: http://www.opseu.org/lbed/eap  .

Your 2009 Bargaining Bulletin is authorized for distribution by:

Vanda Klumper, Chair,
Liquor Board Employees Division

Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President, OPSEU
Ontario Public Service Employees Union

  Download this issue