LCBO strike vote

[northyorksammy]

Selling to a minor:
private store - big penalty so won't happen
LCBO-Government employee doesn't want trouble from young person and friend so just does it (I have seen this)

[Mike-KBCo]

We definitely wouldn't be cheering on an LCBO strike. However, I can see why any brewery with a retail store/home delivery service would be salivating at the idea.

[midlife crisis]

Do you think such a brewery might be quickly overwhelmed by demand and run out of beer?

[Mike-KBCo]

Do you think such a brewery might be quickly overwhelmed by demand and run out of beer?

I don't believe the larger breweries would have any difficulty meeting demand, even in the event of a lengthy strike. I could see someone like Indie and Junction having issues as they are already running near capacity.

[groulxsome]

Any update from Bar Towelers on the inside on this? I've been seeing a lot of "new media" stories about the possibility of this strike before the Victoria Day weekend. When I see some beer bloggers put the chance of a strike at less then 1%, I feel like I'm getting mixed messages.

Anyone want to venture an guess as to the likelihood of a strike at this point?

[JeffPorter]

Any update from Bar Towelers on the inside on this? I've been seeing a lot of "new media" stories about the possibility of this strike before the Victoria Day weekend. When I see some beer bloggers put the chance of a strike at less then 1%, I feel like I'm getting mixed messages.

Anyone want to venture an guess as to the likelihood of a strike at this point?

Not just that, but there was a press release by the board yesterday that suggested we all stock up this week...I normally presume the best intentions, but this sounds a little fishy.

[Belgian]

Any thoughts on the proposed strike to get more equitable wagest for part timers?

I don't have a problem with what they want. I would be happy if the LCBO 1) were much more efficient in how they gather and dispense money, and 2) used that 'lost' revenue to hire, train and oversee the best possible staff to serve the public.

Oh and pay them decently. No lazy contempt for workers' financial needs should be necessary in such an organization, and in my proposed scenario we're just training/keeping the good ones anyway, individuals who 'pay it back' in value to the business and to customers.

If we could make ALL that happen, it might be revenue-neutral, and might also provide a the kind of flawless shopping experience we already have the right to expect from the LCBO. It would just be good business all around and great for LCBO staff morale.

[Rob Creighton]

Wow, Belgian!?! What are you smoking? We need a pot smoking, glazed look, rose coloured glasses emiticon.

The government is leading the way in a trend that I see in virtually every major industry and employer in South Western Ontario. Let unionized full-time staff with big benefit packages retire and replace only with lower wage, no benefit, part-time employees that can stay at that level for ever. Begin to reduce the benefit package of full-time staff and retiree's without their permission. This is across the board and it is happening with a vengence in government agencies where it fits best.

Historically, the standard LCBO employee has a cashier/stock filling/stock taking/inventory control role and has been anything but militant. This issue may actually push them out but I am still doubtful.

[sprague11]

Wow, Belgian!?! What are you smoking? We need a pot smoking, glazed look, rose coloured glasses emiticon.

The government is leading the way in a trend that I see in virtually every major industry and employer in South Western Ontario. Let unionized full-time staff with big benefit packages retire and replace only with lower wage, no benefit, part-time employees that can stay at that level for ever. Begin to reduce the benefit package of full-time staff and retiree's without their permission. This is across the board and it is happening with a vengence in government agencies where it fits best.

Historically, the standard LCBO employee has a cashier/stock filling/stock taking/inventory control role and has been anything but militant. This issue may actually push them out but I am still doubtful.

Definitely happening in all the municipalities. Lesser positions being brought in to save on money and on casual or part time hours to save on benefits. That money that is being saved is going to upper management bonuses.

[boney]

Wow, Belgian!?! What are you smoking? We need a pot smoking, glazed look, rose coloured glasses emiticon.

The government is leading the way in a trend that I see in virtually every major industry and employer in South Western Ontario. Let unionized full-time staff with big benefit packages retire and replace only with lower wage, no benefit, part-time employees that can stay at that level for ever. Begin to reduce the benefit package of full-time staff and retiree's without their permission. This is across the board and it is happening with a vengence in government agencies where it fits best.

Historically, the standard LCBO employee has a cashier/stock filling/stock taking/inventory control role and has been anything but militant. This issue may actually push them out but I am still doubtful.

Definitely happening in all the municipalities. Lesser positions being brought in to save on money and on casual or part time hours to save on benefits. That money that is being saved is going to upper management bonuses.

Ditto for post secondary education. Hiring couse-by-course "sessional" instructors, paying them beans and freezing hires of permanent tenure-track positions, while lining the pockets of upper admin.

[JeffPorter]

Ditto for post secondary education. Hiring couse-by-course "sessional" instructors, paying them beans and freezing hires of permanent tenure-track positions, while lining the pockets of upper admin.

So true. I have an MA in English and teach the odd English course at colleges for some extra money. It came in handy when my wife was on mat leave.

The going rate seems to be a bit over 60/hr, which seems pretty good, and frankly, if I was teaching night school or summer school with the board I'd only get about 45. But you're only working about 3 or 4 hours a week per course, not to mention all your prep and marking is essentially "unpaid" on your own time. $60/hr seems like a fortune for some 6th year PhD student, but it's peanuts for the colleges, and while I was there I never even met a full-time instructor who wasn't a co-ordinator or department head or something...

[midlife crisis]

I taught a course at Humber for a few years. Similar story.

[Belgian]

Wow, Belgian!?! What are you smoking? We need a pot smoking, glazed look, rose coloured glasses emiticon.

The government is leading the way in a trend that I see in virtually every major industry and employer in South Western Ontario...

I was musing how I see (or have the impression) some Western European countries handle things. They take more of a 'long view' which doesn't just demean and destroy the value of workers, so employees can actually contribute more to the bottom line for a greater net result. There is a greater ethical expectation of industries, and therefore workers - more pressure to be 'good' and this appears to be financially efficient. Why can't our government here 'lead the trend' just as easily in this direction? Without a good example to lead by we can't shame the 'offenders' on the basis of comparison (ahh, the centuries-old cultures that still have social shame.)

Maybe our Government is just serving our negative Ontario expectations - which case, good job for them. If this is true we live in a land without shame where we get to complain a lot - so at least there's a payoff.

[Craig]

Wow, Belgian!?! What are you smoking? We need a pot smoking, glazed look, rose coloured glasses emiticon.

The government is leading the way in a trend that I see in virtually every major industry and employer in South Western Ontario. Let unionized full-time staff with big benefit packages retire and replace only with lower wage, no benefit, part-time employees that can stay at that level for ever. Begin to reduce the benefit package of full-time staff and retiree's without their permission. This is across the board and it is happening with a vengence in government agencies where it fits best.

Historically, the standard LCBO employee has a cashier/stock filling/stock taking/inventory control role and has been anything but militant. This issue may actually push them out but I am still doubtful.

Definitely happening in all the municipalities. Lesser positions being brought in to save on money and on casual or part time hours to save on benefits. That money that is being saved is going to upper management bonuses.

Ditto for post secondary education. Hiring couse-by-course "sessional" instructors, paying them beans and freezing hires of permanent tenure-track positions, while lining the pockets of upper admin.

How are they lining the pockets of upper admin? Most of them are getting annual 3% raises, which are pretty standard and some of them, including the CEO, have actually had compensation cuts in recent years.

(This is re: LCBO, I can't speak to education)

[Craig]

Which isn't to say that the LCBO isn't a ridiculously top-heavy organization that tends to over-compensate some levels of management. I'm just saying there's really no indication that they're screwing over the union to up their bonuses.