Have you stocked up? LCBO workers are officially on strike

Thousands of workers are now on strike for the first time in the history of Ontario’s leading liquor retailer.

A strike deadline was originally set by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents thousands of workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, at 12:01 a.m. on Friday.

The deadline passed and led to the official strike, which the LCBO says is disappointed by OPSEU leadership.

While the LCBO says it hopes a deal can be reached quickly, it also says its latest proposal filed Thursday afternoon responded to a number of worker requests, but did not see the union make a counterproposal.

The LCBO says its locations will now be closed for 14 days, with online ordering and free home delivery services still available.

If the strike lasts more than 14 days, the LCBO says 32 of its locations will reopen for in-person shopping while operating three days a week on a limited schedule.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 5, 2024.