Workers Rally Outside Hamilton LCBO

Your weekend trip to the LCBO could be busier than usual.

Your weekend trip to the LCBO could be busier than usual.

LCBO workers will be holding “Shop LCBO” pickets outside LCBO stores in Hamilton on Friday and Burlington on Saturday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The information demonstration is in response to the provincial government’s continued expansion of beer and wine sales in convenience and grocery stores.

“When you buy alcohol at a real LCBO, you can be sure of two things,” said OPSEU President Warren Thomas in an official media release. “Number one, all of the profits will go back into public services like hospitals, highways, and schools; and number two, you’ll be served by highly trained professionals who are dedicated to ensuring that alcohol doesn’t end up in the hands of kids.”

“When you shop at a grocery store or one of the new privatized ‘LCBO Convenience Outlets,’ all you can be sure of is that the owners are trying to maximize sales because they get up to 10 per cent of every dollar.”

Friday’s rally is scheduled to take place at 1342 South Service Rd in Hamilton, and 501 Appleby Line in Burlington on Saturday.

The OPSEU members will be encouraging the public to buy their alcohol from publicly owned and managed LCBO stores.

Workers rallied in Toronto last weekend outside the LCBO at 5508 Lawrence Ave. E. and asked patrons to sign a petition to halt the Doug Ford government’s plan to further modernize alcohol sales, which started under the previous Liberal government when select grocers became eligible to sell wine, beer, and cider.

Prior to that, only the LCBO, Beer Store, wineries, cideries, and breweries were permitted to sell alcoholic beverages.