Half of Ontarians support union’s goals in ongoing LCBO strike: poll

Fewer than one-third of Ontarians opportunity they want nan provincial authorities to intervene to extremity nan 12-day onslaught astatine Ontario’s main liquor retailer, while astir half are supportive of nan striking union’s demands.

That’s according to a caller Leger canvass that asked if nan authorities should usage binding arbitration aliases authorities to guarantee LCBO stores unfastened arsenic soon arsenic possible.

Twenty-nine per cent of respondents supported specified a move, while 44 per cent opposed it. The canvass besides asked if respondents support nan union’s stated goals, including costs increases and much imperishable positions. Just nether half, 49 per cent, answered successful nan affirmative, while 25 per cent said they were not supportive.

Awareness of nan onslaught in Ontario is high, according to nan poll, pinch 89 per cent saying they knew astir it, though only 15 per cent reported being personally affected. The Leger canvass of 601 residents, conducted past weekend, can’t beryllium assigned a separator of correction because online surveys are not considered genuinely random samples.

Approximately 10,000 workers astatine nan LCBO walked disconnected nan occupation connected July 5 aft negotiations collapsed down.

The national representing nan workers said nan sides were headed backmost to nan bargaining array Wednesday.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has said nan main rumor is nan province’s intoxicant description plans that would spot ready-to-drink cocktails sold extracurricular LCBO stores — a move it maintains poses an existential threat to nan LCBO and could lead to awesome occupation losses.

Colleen MacLeod, chair of nan union’s LCBO bargaining unit, has said nan scheme would “mean thousands of mislaid jobs, less hours for nan 70 per cent of LCBO unit workers who are casual and struggling to make ends meet, and hundreds of millions successful dollars of mislaid nationalist revenues drained from wellness care, acquisition and infrastructure.”

The LCBO, a Crown corporation, nets nan state $2.5 cardinal a year.

On Monday, the Ontario government sped up its description plan. The 450 stores across Ontario already licensed to waste beer, vino and ciders will beryllium capable to commencement ordering coolers and seltzers connected Thursday and waste them arsenic soon arsenic they arrive.

The state has said it does not want to privatize nan LCBO, and that nan description is astir giving group much prime and much convenience to bargain alcohol.

Stephanie Ross, an subordinate professor successful nan schoolhouse of labour studies astatine McMaster University, said Premier Doug Ford doesn’t person a awesome estimation erstwhile it comes to labour, fixed nan high-profile disputes successful caller years pinch health-care and acquisition workers. And he’s faced accusations of making argumentation moves that use friends successful nan backstage sector, a disapproval that’s been levied against him successful nan LCBO dispute.

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“There is simply a guidelines of support for nan union’s connection here, some successful position of nan moving conditions that they’re trying to conflict to improve, and successful position of nan domiciled that nan LCBO plays successful backing nationalist services successful nan province,” she said.

But nan nationalist whitethorn not beryllium arsenic sympathetic to LCBO workers arsenic it has been to immoderate others, for illustration successful nan Metro market workers’ onslaught past year, she said — a comparatively straightforward conflict by low-paid workers struggling to spend nutrient against nan manufacture being partially blamed for nutrient prices.

“And truthful successful nan depths of a benignant of historical cost-of-living crisis, I deliberation it was easier to consciousness sympathy for specified workers successful position of really having to conflict to dress up mislaid ground.”

That intends nan LCBO national has its activity trim retired to effort and person nan nationalist of its cause, said Ross, particularly erstwhile consumers are already divided connected nan liquor privatization rumor successful nan first place. She thinks nan national is doing a bully job, however, of arguing nan lawsuit for nan LCBO arsenic a nationalist plus that helps money important nationalist services.

Larry Savage, a professor successful nan labour studies section astatine Brock University, said it’s clear some nan national and nan Ford authorities “are moving difficult to triumph complete nan nationalist to their respective positions.”

The national has a “potentially powerful strategy” to summation nationalist support, but it’s not a surefire one, he said successful an email.

This strategy “requires group to link nan dots betwixt nan privatization of nan LCBO and nan nonaccomplishment of a captious gross watercourse that contributes billions to nationalist services for illustration wellness attraction and education.”

Meanwhile, nan government’s strategy has been to effort and leverage user vexation complete nan onslaught successful bid to thrust much support for accrued privatization, said Savage.

“It’s a high-risk strategy because a heavy-handed attack tin sometimes backfire and garner greater sympathy for nan workers and their cause.”

In nan Leger poll, 32 per cent of respondents said they looked for replacement locations to bargain intoxicant owed to nan strike, and while 15 per cent said they were concerned nan onslaught could origin them to walk much money connected alcohol.

Savage said while galore consumers are apt inconvenienced, he besides thinks astir Ontarians are suspicious of nan premier’s intentions erstwhile it comes to nan LCBO: “It’s a classical lawsuit of backstage profits complete nan nationalist good.”