2021 LBED Bargaining Bulletin, Issue 4
Download a printable PDF of this bulletinOPSEU/SEFPO Leaders’ Message
Bargaining can be complicated business. To help keep things straight, bargaining teams and negotiators often break it down into two main parts: monetary and non-monetary. It goes without saying that monetary bargaining is incredibly important. That’s where your wages and benefits – the things that have a clear dollar value attached to them – are negotiated. But “non-monetary” bargaining is incredibly important, too. That’s where your team negotiates better schedules and work-life balance, increased job security, stronger protection from privatization, strengthened health and safety rules, and workplaces that are equitable and fair for all. This round happens to be a perfect time for your bargaining team to focus on non-monetary bargaining. Why? Because of Bill 124, the Ford government’s unconstitutional law that caps your wage increases at a maximum of one per cent a year for three years. OPSEU/SEFPO has filed a Charter challenge against Bill 124, but that ruling could take quite some time. So while we’re stuck with the restrictions on compensation imposed by Bill 124, this is a great opportunity for your bargaining team to focus on the non-monetary issues that impact each and every one of you, every single day you’re on the job. We’re not surprised that the employer doesn’t seem interested in improving either the LCBO or your working conditions. Their negotiators have so far refused to seriously address the excellent non-monetary proposals tabled by your bargaining team. This is where you come in. The more support you show for your team, the harder it is for the employer to keep saying no to your demands. Showing your support is easy. Read and broadly share these bulletins. Participate in mobilizing actions. And when your regional mobilizer reaches out to you in the coming weeks, spend a little time talking to them. The more you know, the more power you and your bargaining team have. And the more power you have, the better your jobs, your communities, and your lives. In solidarity, OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas OPSEU/SEFPO First Vice-President/Treasurer Eduardo (Eddy) Almeida
Ford government’s legal changes hurt PFTs hired before 2001
On the first day of bargaining, the employer put OPSEU/SEFPO on notice that it will no longer allow Permanent Full-Timers hired before Sept. 4, 2001, to refuse Sunday shifts because it no longer has to. Among the many anti-worker changes the Ford government has made to the Employment Standards Act (ESA) is the elimination of the provision that protected full-time retail workers hired before Sep 4, 2001, from having to work Sundays. The employer could have continued with this long-standing practice. It chose not to. Now we have to bargain a basic provision that the government removed because we are LCBO employees. Yet another reason to show strong support for your bargaining team as they stand up to the employer on a number of other critical scheduling and work-life balance issues at the bargaining table.
Bargaining off to a slow start
After exchanging non-monetary proposals on March 29, your bargaining team has spent eight days at the table with the employer. Unfortunately, there’s not much yet to report. As always, our focus is making the LCBO a better employer, a better business, and a better deal for all Ontarians. It’s incredibly disappointing to hear the employer resist proposals that are just clearly the right thing to do. A few of many examples:
- Job security and the benefits to all: It’s a simple fact: people do better work when they don’t have to worry about losing their job to a temp agency or whether they’ll be able to cobble together enough hours to make rent at the end of the month. Improved job security helps the LCBO, helps workers, and helps all Ontario communities.
- Pandemic safety: We’re pushing the employer to make permanent all of the important health-and-safety wins that your local leaders and joint health and safety committees have fought for so hard over the past year. Many other employers have agreed to enshrine pandemic health and safety measures in their agreements because they understand an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Why does the LCBO want to wait for the next disaster before acting?
- Reducing racism and gender harassment and discrimination: Systemic racism and gender discrimination are real – they exist within the LCBO just as they continue to exist in most facets of Canadian life. That’s why we tabled proposals to reduce harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Disturbingly, the employer flatly refused to engage.
It’s clear bargaining this round is going to be an uphill battle. But it almost always is. The key to getting up and over these hills is your support and solidarity. Together, we’ll force the employer to act on our proposals to make the LCBO better for all. In solidarity, Bargaining Team Chair: Colleen MacLeod, Local 5107 Bargaining Team Vice-Chair: Craig Hadley, Local 5109 Logistics Position: – Jeremy Trainor, Local 378 Member at Large: Rachel Brunet, Local 4100 Member at Large: Adam Ly, Local 499
Mobilizers set to spring into action
The solidarity and support of LBED members is critical to strong bargaining. On Thursday, April 29, the LBED 15 Mobilizers elected by delegates at the virtual pre-bargaining conference in the Fall will begin to help build that solidarity and support. For the two weeks following, they’ll be working full-time in order to reach and speak with you and as many other LBED members as possible. The mobilizing effort will be virtual at this time, but just as important as ever. Please speak with your Mobilizer when they call, or call them back if they miss you. They’ll be able to answer questions you have about bargaining, pass on vital feed-back or information you might have about bargaining, and collecting your most up-to-date contact information. It’s crucially important the union has your most up-to-date contact info. Just call 1-800-268-7376 or 416-443-8888, or email it to
[email protected]. You can also check and change your personal email address and personal phone number through the OPSEU/SEFPO Member Portal. Just click on the “Make Changes” tab at the top of the portal’s main page, and then click “Update email” to update your personal email, and “Update address” to update your personal phone number. Working in consultation with Local Presidents, the Mobilizers will help identify Mobilization Leads in each and every LBED workplace, strengthening our ability to support and empower the Bargaining Team. As bargaining continues, you’ll be able to flex that strength by ensuring you and all of your workplace co-workers participate in activities that show the employer we stand with the bargaining team and that we’re serious about our demands.
Stay informed about bargaining
Fill out this short form to stay informed about bargaining and to ask questions or submit comments. Your regional mobilizer will get in touch with you.
Your regional mobilizers
Your regional mobilizers for 2021 were elected by LBED divisional and local leaders during a virtual meeting on Oct. 24, 2020. The mobilizers are: Region 1 Mobilizer: Shelly Robitaille, Local 162 Region 1 Alternates:
- Greg Wilson, Local 164
- Billie Bridgewater, Local 162
- Robin Reath, Local 163
Region 2 Mobilizer: Shawn Swayze, Local 287 Region 2 Alternates:
- Greg Scott, Local 287
- Judy Irving, Local 288
- Mike Hamilton, Local 286
Region 3 Mobilizer: Tammy Rogers, Local 377 Region 3 Alternates:
- Damian Campbell, Local 378
- Brenda Collins, Local 377
Region 4 Mobilizer: Diane Clarabut, Local 497 Region 4 Alternates:
- Sean Spencer, Local 499
- Teresa Graham, Local 497
Region 5 Mobilizer: Kim Nasello, Local 5111 Region 5 Alternates:
- Janice Ariza, Local 5111
- Taidgh McGuinness, Local 5110
- Tanya Faseruk, Local 5107
Region 6 Mobilizer: Leslie Gagnon, Local 683 Region 6 Alternates:
- Judy Jones, Local 682
- Jamie Kensley, Local 681
Region 7 Mobilizer: Rob Mithrush, Local 741 Region 7 Alternate:
Stay up-to-date!
The solidarity and support of all LBED members are critical to strong bargaining, and it’s crucial that we can keep you all up-to-date on bargaining and mobilizing activities. Please ask all of your co-workers if they received this bulletin. Forward it to any who didn’t, and encourage them to make sure the bargaining team has their personal email address and personal phone number. It’s easy to make sure the union has your most up-to-date contact info. Just call 1-800-268-7376 or 416-443-8888, or email it to
[email protected]. You can also check and change your personal email address and personal phone number through the
OPSEU/SEFPO Member Portal. Just click on the “Make Changes” tab at the top of the portal’s main page, and then click “Update email” to update your personal email, and “Update address” to update your personal phone number. You can also stay up-to-date on the latest by frequently checking our website –
https://opseu.org/lbed — and by following our Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/OpseuLiquorBoardEmployees Your 2021 Bargaining Bulletin is authorized for distribution by: Colleen MacLeod, Chair, Liquor Board Employees Division Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President, OPSEU/SEFPO
