The Bar Towel

93% in favour.

Seems like a bad time to highlight how useful it is to have options outside of the LCBO if you're the union, but that's just my take.

I think the vote is just a bargaining chip at the negotiation table. While a 1 day rolling strike could be likely, I'd be very shocked for an all-out strike.

stopped at my local to get some tequila and noticed the beer shelves cleaned of all the big brands

In 2013 a strike was averted at the last minute. LCBO sales were up 150% the day before the strike was to start.

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/mobile/lcbo-s ... -1.1283818#

MatttthewGeorge wrote:I think the vote is just a bargaining chip at the negotiation table. While a 1 day rolling strike could be likely, I'd be very shocked for an all-out strike.

I've never heard of a union not voting to strike during bargaining, though I'm sure it must have happened. Otherwise the union pretty much goes to the table with "These are our demands. If you don't concede... we will... give you a rather stern looking at!"

It is unfortunate for them though, that this seems to mostly be about the beer in grocery stores. AFAIK it's popular so I don't think they're likely to get any traction.

Well THEY call beer in grocery stores 'creeping privatization' - is that an admission privatization is inevitable and desirable? Why else the need to shore up against it?

I've never bought the beer in grocery stores but the hours of permitted sales can be slightly better than the LCs (some of the latter are just a perplexing wasted opportunity, good location and floor space but quick to close up.)
I don't think people need to be told to buy beer before Sunday 6PM at Loblaws or such. That's an amazingly petty time restriction. The LC doesn't want competition and I can't blame them for being a little afraid.

I'm just as happy if the LC continue to upgrade LCBO store and ordering services and expand selection. We'll see how that goes!

So the strike deadline is tomorrow although store employees say it MAY be extended...
It was a sad scene at the Queen / Coxwell store, too many empty shelves and long lines.

One harmful effect relevant to beer, if the strike does go on tomorrow, is the declining condition of age-sensitive product that is brought in and then sits there while we can't buy it. Many newly-arrived brews like Ludwig Weisse and Elvis Juice, of course all IPAs are really best close to the bottling date as possible, ie. right now. That in mind I tried to grab some extra Ludwig, but of course all gone in a few days, maybe they only brought in a case or two, KL being a new release.

One positive effect of a strike (besides a solid year for brewery stores) is maybe a few more people will get out to socialize at their local pubs.
Having a bottle of (majorly delicious) Bench Citra Grove to toast and wish them luck. Cheers!

^^great Lakes citra grove? Not Bench?

sofakingdrunk wrote:^^great Lakes citra grove? Not Bench?

Citra Grove is Bench's dry-hopped sour. Guess you're mixing it up with Great Lakes' Karma Citra...?

A few years ago an LCBO strike would have been a mild disaster. This year I would have just stopped in at Bellwoods before hitting Sawdust City on the drive up north.

sprague11 wrote:A few years ago an LCBO strike would have been a mild disaster. This year I would have just stopped in at Bellwoods before hitting Sawdust City on the drive up north.

... except, if the strike actually happened, you would probably find Bellwoods' (& a few others around the province) shelves empty by the time you stopped in