Ford blames union for LCBO strike

Premier says job action could have been avoided via talks

- ROBERT BENZIE

A frustrated customer stands at the front door of a Brampton LCBO Monday that was mistakenly listed as open on Google. All LCBO stores will open Tuesday after a settlement that included eight per cent raises over three years and full-time positions for 1,000 part-time employees.

As liquor stores reopen Tuesday after an 18-day strike, Premier Doug Ford says the first job action in LCBO history could have been avoided.

“We learned many things with this strike — people were still able to get their alcohol … don’t mess around with people’s booze in Ontario, because they aren’t too happy,” Ford told reporters Monday in Kitchener.

“This strike should have never ever happened and we could have easily sat around the table,” the premier said, blaming Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) brass for the stoppage.

More than 9,000 unionized workers hit the bricks on July 5, shuttering 680 Liquor Control Board of Ontario outlets and forcing consumers to buy from other retailers, including the 450 grocery stores licensed to sell beer and wine by former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne in 2015.