Back to the Arbitrator
As mentioned in a previous bulletin, as soon as we started bargaining, the employer announced that they would be reconvening the arbitrator who ruled on the “equal pay for equal work” human rights complaint, rather than negotiating the issues that resulted from his first ruling.
That meeting was held Tuesday in Toronto, and both sides had an opportunity to present their interpretation of two parts of the initial ruling where there was a disagreement over what the arbitrator meant in his rulings on agency stores and the scheduling of Sunday work.
Your bargaining team stood firm on both issues.
On agency stores, it was the union’s position that the ruling effectively capped the number of stores. The language of the award clearly limits the employer to opening a single store for each agency store that was repatriated and turned into a public LCBO outlet.
On Sunday work, the union pointed to the existing Letter of Agreement on Sunday Openings, which sets out the voluntary nature of Sunday work and a process for filling any shifts where an insufficient number of PFT CSRs volunteer to work. The arbitrator’s original ruling did not change the language regarding the regular work week for retail employees, and also said nothing to indicate that the letter was removed. As a result, your team argued that the existing process should be maintained.
What’s next?
We are expecting the arbitrator to rule by early next week. When we have the arbitrator’s award, we will let members know what he has ruled and what the implications are for both Sunday work and agency stores.
No matter what the ruling says, however, your bargaining team believes this fight belongs at the bargaining table – and that’s where they will be taking it either way. Your bargaining team met with the employer the week of February 21, and from day one the LCBO's plan was clear – to strip hard-won rights out of the collective agreement.
Meet your mobilizers!
In collective bargaining, power comes from the support of union members. Experience has shown that employers move at the bargaining table when members take action inside and outside the workplace. To help build that power, OPSEU has booked off 15 mobilizers, elected by LBED members at your Pre-Bargaining Conference in April 2016. These mobilizers, who are your co-workers at the LCBO, are on union leave, starting Monday, February 27. They will work to build support for your elected bargaining team and the bargaining priorities you selected during demand-setting.
Region 1
Guy Jeremschuk
[email protected]
David Holmes
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Michael Peris Feb. 27 – March 21, filling in for Guy Jeremschuk
[email protected]
Region 2
Bonnie Jolley
[email protected]
Judy Irving
[email protected]
Region 3
Tracy Vyfschaft
[email protected]
Eileen Allen
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Region 4
Dianne Perry
[email protected]
Mathieu Royer
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Region 5
Craig Hadley
[email protected]
Nick Papadimitriou
[email protected]
Adriana Bertoni
[email protected]
Region 6
Amanda Pellerin
[email protected]
Judy Jones
[email protected]
Region 7
Rob Mithrush
[email protected]
Anne Makela
[email protected]
Meet your bargaining team
The OPSEU bargaining team for the Liquor Board Employees Division consists of five members:
Denise Davis, Chair, Local 378
Colleen MacLeod, Vice-Chair, Local 5107
Jennifer Van Zetten, Local 162
Robin Reath, Local 163
Mark Larocque, Local 499
The bargaining team is assisted by OPSEU Negotiator Jeff Weston, Researcher Steve Crossman, and other assigned staff.
Contact us by email at [email protected]
Stay informed!
You can receive this bargaining bulletin (and our regular newsletter, the Echo) directly by e-mail. Just call OPSEU at 1-800-268-7376 or (416) 443-8888, and give the operator your name and e-mail address.
You can also watch for updates on the OPSEU website at www.opseu.org/LBEDbargaining. And be sure to attend upcoming bargaining information meetings in your area.