Bargaining gets under way
Good jobs are what it’s all about
After months of preparation, bargaining is under way between the LCBO and your OPSEU bargaining team.
The first exchange of proposals between the employer and the union takes place March 9 and 10. A further 13 days of meetings are scheduled up to May 1. Additional dates may be added if necessary.
“This is a big moment for all OPSEU members at the LCBO, and the team is very excited about the opportunity before us,” says Vanda Klumper, chair of the OPSEU bargaining team.
“At a time when the economy is in trouble,
good jobs are more important than ever to our families, our communities, and our province. Employers like the LCBO who have ample resources to provide good jobs need to step up.
“We have a clear mandate from our members to make serious gains in the next collective agreement,” Klumper says. “With the support of the members, I know we will succeed.”
While the bargaining team is at the table, OPSEU mobilizers will be connecting with front-line members to provide details about the bargaining process and work with members on activities to support the team. Right now, 20 OPSEU members are working to organize information sessions to reach every member at the LCBO.
“It is very important that members understand the nuts and bolts of the bargaining process,” says Klumper. “There are certain steps to follow and certain things we must do to get where we’re going.
“The bargaining team is asking all members to attend these information sessions and pay close attention in the weeks ahead".
“To succeed, we need to have every member at the bargaining table with us.”
Bargaining Dates
Bargaining between the LCBO and the OPSEU bargaining team for the Liquor Board Employees Division is scheduled for the following dates:
- March 9-10
- March 23-26
- April 6-9
- April 27 – May 1
More dates will be scheduled if necessary.
This bargaining campaign is coming right to you
Your collective agreement is about to expire. Your bargaining team is at the table. It might sound like just another round of negotiations, but it’s not.
It’s 2009, and this is the first contract LCBO employees will negotiate with OPSEU as our union from start to finish. Bargaining now is different:
- Our union has more staff support and more resources than before.
- Our bargaining team is one we elected.
- Our bargaining demands were set by all of us in a democratic process.
Bargaining is about protecting your livelihood and getting what you need. What happens at the bargaining table depends on the support we give our team. Showing your support is not just important, it’s crucial.
Across the province, 20 “mobilizers” are already at work. They’re your co-workers, and they’ve set up more than 70 meetings across Ontario to keep you informed and build support for our team. There’s a meeting soon at a location near you.
How successful we are at the table depends on you. Get out to one of the meetings for your local, get to know your mobilizer, and most importantly, when they ask you to show your support for the team, make sure you do. Our contract is at stake.
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 163
- 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, 376
- 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 for the Liquor Board Employees Division consists of seven members:
- Vanda Klumper, Chair, OPSEU Local 165 [email protected]
- Denise Davis, Vice-Chair, Local 378 [email protected]
- Dora Robinson, Local 376 [email protected]
- Tracy Vyfschaft, Local 377 [email protected]
- Lori Davis, Local 499 [email protected]
- Colleen MacLeod, Local 5107 [email protected]
- Laurie Miller, Local 682 [email protected]
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.
- Attend upcoming bargaining information meetings
- 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.
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.
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