spider
Senior Member
In the event of an LCBO strike what happens to all those small town tourist country outlets in retail stores? I think there is one as close as Mt. Albert.
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Looming LCBO Strike..What can we do?!
- Thread starter genkav
- Start date
ShonTron
Moderator
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The agency stores will not be directly affected, but they might be low on stock very soon.
Rockwood has an agency store as well. Though there's plenty of alternatives as mentioned before if you like Ontario wine and spirits.
Rockwood has an agency store as well. Though there's plenty of alternatives as mentioned before if you like Ontario wine and spirits.
Eug
Senior Member
Luckily I just stocked up in Prince Edward County. Lots and lots of Ontario wines.
I like this way of purchasing anyway. I sampled every single wine I bought before I bought. Can't do that at the LCBO. BTW, most of the wine I bought isn't even available at the LCBO anyway.
As for beer, I'll just drive over to the local breweries.
Luckily I'm not a big spirits drinker, and I already have a good enough stash for guests.
I like this way of purchasing anyway. I sampled every single wine I bought before I bought. Can't do that at the LCBO. BTW, most of the wine I bought isn't even available at the LCBO anyway.
As for beer, I'll just drive over to the local breweries.
Luckily I'm not a big spirits drinker, and I already have a good enough stash for guests.
G
gabe
Guest
I was planing on visiting Prince Edward County and Niagara anyway so the strike wont effect me that much. I stopped going to the Beer Store ever since they started taking back wine bottles. Get bottle return machines like they do in the states, its a hell of a lot faster and frees up employees to work the those ridiculously slow outdated computers and microphone ordering termanials 
urbandreamer
recession proof
I'll be drinking windshield washer fluid.
CDL.TO
Moderator
I'll be drinking windshield washer fluid.
Lucky Lager?
ShonTron
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Ouch.
At least I know why it's called Lucky.
At least I know why it's called Lucky.
Urban Shocker
Doyenne
I hear there are unbelievable amounts of panic buying.
H
Hydrogen
Guest
My local Shoppers didn't have much Listerine left on the shelf.
Maybe some people are anticipating a really long strike.
Maybe some people are anticipating a really long strike.
G
gabe
Guest
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...ty-lcbo-shelves-ahead-of-strike-deadline.aspx
Fearful consumers empty LCBO shelves ahead of strike deadline
Posted: June 23, 2009, 2:57 PM by Rob Roberts
Toronto LCBO outlets are a sea of empty shelves, as consumers brave long lineups to stock up ahead of the midnight strike deadline tonight.
‘‘I have never seen a lineup like this,’’ said David Ritter, as he walked around the LCBO at Lawrence Avenue and Don Mills Road, three lonely bottles of Robert’s Rock in his cart, this afternoon. ‘‘It’s amazing. It's just incredible.’’
Scott Davison had five bottles of Smirnoff and a certain amount of skepticism an actual strike is coming. But the lone lineups and prospect of a summer without alcohol convinced him a government-owned liquor monopoly isn't a good idea.
‘‘Just goes to show you that maybe they should sell liquor in private stores, maybe they wouldn't have this,’’ he said.
Bob Illiadis, owner of the Just Greek restaurant in Etobicoke, had a dozen bottles of wine and ouzo in his cart, and was picking up more as he passed displays en route to checkout in line. He said he had already bought $10,000 worth of wine yesterday, ‘‘mostly for the restaurant. Because if the restaurant has some, I have some.’’
Some customers had carts filled with wine; one man carried only a single bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
At the LCBO underneath the TD Centre downtown, empty shelves suggest the store will be stripped bare of wine later this afternoon, as a huge lineup of angry-looking people wait to pay. At the LCBO at Bayview mall, where one man bought 25 mickeys (12 rye, 8 vodka, 5 rum), the whole South American wine section is bare.
"We know there has been some buying up," said LCBO spokesman Chris Layton.
At least one cashier seemed resigned to a strike, which would likely mean significant store closures, lengthy lines at locations that stay open, and store parking lots jammed with pickets
Mr. Layton said he is "hopeful" the retailer and its 7,200 unionized workers will reach an agreement before tonight 12:01 a. m. deadline.
"A work stoppage is really not necessary," he said. There has never been a strike at the LCBO, despite near walkouts in 2000, 2002 and 2005. "The public expects us to negotiate a settlement. We owe it to them to do that."
Though Mr. Layton would not discuss the negotiations and what a contingency plan would look like, he said the retailer would use its roughly 800 non-unionized managers to staff some stores and said it would not hire outside workers in the event of a strike.
Randy Robinson, spokesman for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, said workers are steadfast in fighting the LCBO's move away from full-time permanent jobs toward a casual workforce.
Mr. Layton said it neither efficient nor affordable to make all staff full-time because there are ebbs and flows to liquor sales, with peaks during the holidays and summer months.
Casual workers, which make up the majority of unionized staff, are waiting for a satisfactory offer on such issues as sick leave, wages, retirement, and vacation time, Mr. Robinson said. "A lot of this depends on how the LCBO acts," he said. Regardless of how LCBO responds, he said, workers are ready to picket.
"We won't stop someone from getting alcohol if a store is open, but we will let customers know what we are fighting for," he said. "We'll also try to stop the flow of alcohol at the warehouses."
The union said the provincial government would lose out on roughly $5-million in sales taxes for each day of a strike.
Fearful consumers empty LCBO shelves ahead of strike deadline
Posted: June 23, 2009, 2:57 PM by Rob Roberts
Toronto LCBO outlets are a sea of empty shelves, as consumers brave long lineups to stock up ahead of the midnight strike deadline tonight.
‘‘I have never seen a lineup like this,’’ said David Ritter, as he walked around the LCBO at Lawrence Avenue and Don Mills Road, three lonely bottles of Robert’s Rock in his cart, this afternoon. ‘‘It’s amazing. It's just incredible.’’
Scott Davison had five bottles of Smirnoff and a certain amount of skepticism an actual strike is coming. But the lone lineups and prospect of a summer without alcohol convinced him a government-owned liquor monopoly isn't a good idea.
‘‘Just goes to show you that maybe they should sell liquor in private stores, maybe they wouldn't have this,’’ he said.
Bob Illiadis, owner of the Just Greek restaurant in Etobicoke, had a dozen bottles of wine and ouzo in his cart, and was picking up more as he passed displays en route to checkout in line. He said he had already bought $10,000 worth of wine yesterday, ‘‘mostly for the restaurant. Because if the restaurant has some, I have some.’’
Some customers had carts filled with wine; one man carried only a single bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
At the LCBO underneath the TD Centre downtown, empty shelves suggest the store will be stripped bare of wine later this afternoon, as a huge lineup of angry-looking people wait to pay. At the LCBO at Bayview mall, where one man bought 25 mickeys (12 rye, 8 vodka, 5 rum), the whole South American wine section is bare.
"We know there has been some buying up," said LCBO spokesman Chris Layton.
At least one cashier seemed resigned to a strike, which would likely mean significant store closures, lengthy lines at locations that stay open, and store parking lots jammed with pickets
Mr. Layton said he is "hopeful" the retailer and its 7,200 unionized workers will reach an agreement before tonight 12:01 a. m. deadline.
"A work stoppage is really not necessary," he said. There has never been a strike at the LCBO, despite near walkouts in 2000, 2002 and 2005. "The public expects us to negotiate a settlement. We owe it to them to do that."
Though Mr. Layton would not discuss the negotiations and what a contingency plan would look like, he said the retailer would use its roughly 800 non-unionized managers to staff some stores and said it would not hire outside workers in the event of a strike.
Randy Robinson, spokesman for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, said workers are steadfast in fighting the LCBO's move away from full-time permanent jobs toward a casual workforce.
Mr. Layton said it neither efficient nor affordable to make all staff full-time because there are ebbs and flows to liquor sales, with peaks during the holidays and summer months.
Casual workers, which make up the majority of unionized staff, are waiting for a satisfactory offer on such issues as sick leave, wages, retirement, and vacation time, Mr. Robinson said. "A lot of this depends on how the LCBO acts," he said. Regardless of how LCBO responds, he said, workers are ready to picket.
"We won't stop someone from getting alcohol if a store is open, but we will let customers know what we are fighting for," he said. "We'll also try to stop the flow of alcohol at the warehouses."
The union said the provincial government would lose out on roughly $5-million in sales taxes for each day of a strike.
Hank
Active Member
Yeah, but how much will they save in not having to pay salaries.
Roy G Biv
Senior Member
I'm assuming less, or there is no reason to be in this business....
afransen
Senior Member
I'm willing to bet that people will buy their booze before and after the strike, and the tax revenue will be a wash.
Hank
Active Member
Yeah, but my point was that the union's trying to make it sound like the government will be losing $5 million every day that the strike goes on, when that's clearly not the case.
Brian69
Not the Messiah
Just stopped in to the LCBO at Royal York 30 minutes before closing. Between the half-empty shelves and the frantic shopping I thought I was in the middle of an 80s impending nuclear disaster of the week flick. I was waiting for fistfights in the aisles but no dice. The staff were taking it in stride, though, joking about the frantic shoppers and seemingly being less than concerned, unless I was missing the gallows humour. Who am I kidding--unions never need gallows humour.
One thing I was surprised about was how much wine was being bought in comparison with spirits.
One thing I was surprised about was how much wine was being bought in comparison with spirits.