The Echo
 

Issue 24 - November 27, 2008

Saturday’s meeting, which attracted 58 delegates representing all regions of the province, was an historic first for organized liquor board employees in Ontario. Never before had representatives of the bargaining unit gathered under one roof to endorse those issues which the membership, through a series of surveys and local and regional meetings, have identified as their priorities going into negotiations.

That point wasn’t lost on several speakers.

“Let me congratulate every member of LBED on being a part of history,” said OPSEU president Smokey Thomas. “You now know what we mean: in OPSEU it’s the members who tell us what they want to see in their contract. It all starts with the membership.”

Thomas said the LCBO numbers tell the whole story.

“I don’t think they Liberals want to get into a punch-up with you folks. Not when the LCBO is earning $200,000 in profits from each and every member of the bargaining unit. They’re always telling us ‘The cupboard is bare,’ but obviously that’s not the case in the Liquor Division.”

LBED senior negotiator Rob Field told delegates the heavy lifting is about to begin.

“Today you will identify what the mandate of your negotiating team will be. Tomorrow we begin the job of getting a bit of something for everyone into our next contract.” He added that for too long “the LCBO has gotten away with Collective Agreement murder. That’s going to stop.”

MELLISSA JACKSON, VICE PRESIDENT, LOCAL 682, NORTH BAY

“This is my first time in a process like this and it’s been fantastic. Everyone has been given the opportunity to make a contribution to the process. This brings the members a lot closer together. We will have a much stronger bargaining team. It will be our strongest contract ever!”

MARIE NUNZIATA, STEWARD, LOCAL 288, WEST GTA

“I’d never been involved in the bargaining process previous to this. It really is a democratic process that involves everyone from the members up. It has opened up communications to the grassroots because it gives us a lot to talk about. It wasn’t this way before.”

CRAIG HADLEY, CHIEF STEWARD, LOCAL 5109, HEAD OFFICE TORONTO

“Going through the pre-bargaining process and now at the final demand setting meeting you can see how many of the key head office concerns have been addressed. A lot has been said about casuals. Issues affecting casuals don’t only impact on the retail sector but also on head office and the Toronto warehouse. It’s been very worthwhile for all LBED members.”

Your demand priorities

The road leading to the Final Demand Setting Meeting was a long one that led through every region of Ontario, through written surveys and by members having their voices heard in committees and at local and regional demand setting meetings. In May 2008, elected delegates to the pre-bargaining conference set out the key issues that members were asked to vote on in meetings earlier this autumn.

At the end of this democratic exercise, these are the Top 5 Priority bargaining issues identified by LBED members:

• A better deal for casuals, seasonal, PPTs and fixed term workers

• Wage increases for all employees that reflect the excellent productivity of the LBED bargaining unit and that don’t fall below inflation

• Job security through the elimination of privatization threats, contracting out, divestment and agency stores

• Improvements to health and safety language, including a minimum staffing complement by store or service

• Pensions and improvements to early retirement options

LBED Emergency Assistance Fund grows by $650

Thanks to strong sales at last weekend’s LBED has now reached almost $2,000. “product knowledge” social held on the eve of LBED’s Divisional Executive is looking into the Final Demand Setting Meeting - plus raffle other ways and events where assistance funds sales on Nov. 22 - the Division’s Emergency can be raised. Assistance Fund has increased by $650.

The EAF was established earlier this year at the pre-bargaining conference for those LBED members who suddenly find themselves in tough financial straits caused by unforeseen circumstances. The total amount in the fund has now reached almost $2,000.

LBED's Divisional Executive is looking into other ways and events where assistance funds can be raised.

For more details about the Emergency Assistance Fund, local presidents are invited to contact DivEx member Paula Sossi at paulasossi@rogers.com. The fund does not allow for cash donations and the identity of recipients will remain confidential.

LCBO can’t plead poverty

The LCBO is a cash cow for the province of Ontario. The numbers prove it. Unfortunately, LCBO employees aren’t getting their fair share thanks to a multi-tiered classification system that deliberately prevents equal pay for equal work.

LCBO net sales in the 2007-08 fiscal year amounted to a staggering $4.1 billion, with profits of $1.345 billion. That works out to more than $200,000 from each and every LCBO employee, regardless of classification. No other business in Canada can boast the same rate of return on investment. In addition to the $1.345 billion dividend to the provincial government last year, LCBO sales also collected $382 million in provincial sales tax, $119 in GST and $339 million in excise taxes and import duties.

As OPSEU senior research officer Joyce Hansen told delegates to the Final Demand Setting Meeting, “The government might say they’re in an economic crisis but that certainly doesn’t apply to the LCBO.”

Highlights of Hansen’s presentation to the meeting included:

• Between August 2007 and April 2008, the number of permanent full time LBED members has dropped from 2,701 to 2,659 while the number of casuals has shot up from 3,168 to 3,606;

• Between 1996 and 2008 inflation in Ontario has gone up by 27 per cent while the wages of LCBO fixed term workers has lagged behind at an increase of only 17 per cent;

• LCBO fixed term workers have lagged behind with a one-time only increase, from $8.50 to $10, in 2000.

• In 2000-01, salaries and benefits paid to LCBO permanent workers made up 9.8 per cent of net sales; in 2006-07 that figure was 9.0 per cent – a 10 per cent drop in share of sales;

• In 2008-09 the LCBO is projecting an increase of 5.1 per cent in net sales. LBED members, with the exception of fixed term workers, will earn an increase of three per cent.

Your 2009 LBED bargaining team!

Download this issue  .pdf

Newsletter Index