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May 19, 2006 OPEN LETTER Philip J Olsson Dear Mr. Olsson: The members of OPSEU’s Liquor Board Employees’ Division (LBED) were both surprised and disappointed with Minister Caplan’s May 15 announcement of plans to open 20 new (and re-announced) agency stores across Ontario. As you may know, the Minister’s announcement is a direct contradiction of a clear commitment made by Dalton McGuinty before the 2003 election that a Liberal government would not expand the LCBO agency store program. The announcement was all the more disconcerting given our meeting with LCBO officials Jan. 31, 2006 at which we were assured that 1) the LCBO had no plans to expand the network of agency stores; and 2) if any such expansion was planned in future, we would be informed in advance. We do realize that some, not all, of these locations had been previously announced. Nonetheless, yesterday’s announcement, coming as it did with no warning to the union, did nothing to improve the state of labour relations between the parties at the LCBO and threatens to undermine any progress we have made in recent months. OPSEU - LBED members were left wondering not only why their employer was putting their jobs and their social responsibility mandate at risk, but why their union did not learn about this in advance. We also wonder at the logic for choosing some of these communities for new agency outlets. While we have not strenuously opposed the agency program in small, remote communities, most of the communities named in yesterday’s announcement are in Southern Ontario, close to existing LCBO stores. In such cases, the creation of agency stores is unnecessary and threatens to undermine existing LCBO outlets and the socially responsible service they provide... Flesherton, for example, is only 10 km from the Markdale LCBO on one side, 17 km from Dundalk LCBO on the other. At the same time, this tiny village is dominated by its major regional high school. Is this the kind of place where an agency store is needed, or in any way appropriate? Similarly, a number of the other proposed agency store locations are within 10-15 km of existing stores. As you know, this union believes LCBO employees can do the job better, more efficiently and more responsibly than private sector workers, and we have the track record to prove it. We think the agency program is bad, possibly dangerous policy. But it is more difficult to make our case when we are blindsided by the Minster in this way. Given your previous commitments to us and our ongoing interest in the LCBO’s agency store program, we ask that you provide us with the rationale for expanding the program into these 20 communities, and explain whether this decision was made for operational or other, possibly political, reasons. Is public policy on agency stores in Ontario now being driven by commercial lobby groups? OPSEU is calling for a moratorium on all expansion of the agency program until all stakeholders have a chance to participate in full public hearings on this matter, and we trust that the LCBO and its political masters will be mindful of their commitments and the important social responsibility mandate of the corporation. Sincerely, (signed) Leah Casselman, President Mike Sullivan, Acting chair, LCBO employees’ division
Cc: Hon. David Caplan, Minister of Infrastructure Renewal NDP Critic, Peter Kormos, MPP Conservative Critic, Joe Tascona, MPP
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