The LCBO strike appears to be back on just hours after a tentative agreement was announced.
The LCBO announced the agreement with the workers earlier on Friday afternoon, noting that it would allow stores to reopen as early as Tuesday.
But during a press conference later on Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for the union said that the province was refusing to sign a return-to-work protocol and without that document there was effectively no deal.
The LCBO then released a statement of its own moments later, accusing the union of introducing “significant new monetary demands” after the agreement was announced.
“To introduce a new set of demands after reaching a tentative agreement amounts to bad faith bargaining,” the LCBO said. “The LCBO expects to file an unfair labour practice in short order.”
The LCBO announced the tentative agreement just before 1 p.m. and the union released a statement of its own approximately 30 minutes later, noting that the deal would “protect jobs in every community as well as public revenues generated by LCBO sales.”
The OPSEU was scheduled to speak with reporters at 3 p.m. but instead OPSEU spokesperson Katie Arnup came out and informed those gathered at the Sheraton hotel on Queen Street that the availability would be delayed.
“As part of the (tentative) agreement we put forward a return-to-work protocol that would put workers back to work Monday, which the employer said they wanted late last night. We were prepared to announce this deal, the premier said there was a deal but the employer is now refusing to sign,” Arnup said. “A return-to-work protocol is necessary for workers to go back to work in the event of a strike. Without that document signed we do not have a deal and the strike continues.”
The abrupt change in tone from the union came moments after Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy appeared on CP24 to express his excitement that the strike was poised to end.
The LCBO had previously indicated that the strike would formally end at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, pending ratification of the deal by OPSEU members. Stores would then reopen for in-person shopping the following day, it said.
“It is Friday, it is sunny and what a great moment to announce we have a tentative deal,” Bethlenfalvy told CP24. “This is a good deal for the workers and it is really good for our modernization moving forward. It is good day for people who want more convenience and choice so we are moving forward and I am very excited.”
LCBO stores have been closed since Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) members walked off the job on July 5.
Talks between the two sides resumed for the first time in nearly two weeks on Wednesday and in its statement earlier on Friday the LCBO said that a mediator was able to provide “invaluable assistance in helping the parties reach a tentative agreement.”
“We recognize the disruption the strike caused for our employees, partners, and customers who rely on our services, and we thank everyone for their continued patience and understanding as we begin resuming regular operations,” the LCBO said at the time.