Many of the 9,000 liquor store employees went back to work on Monday to get the stores ready for Tuesday’s reopening.
About 700 stores opened their doors for business.
And while both sides have agreed on a new deal, they’re still sniping away at each other over the Ford government’s plans to allow convenience and grocery stores to sell ready-to-drink cocktails.
The union says that the plan is an existential threat to the future of the workers.
Premier Ford isn’t backing down on his plan.
"And it’s going to be great for the people of Ontario," said Ford. "They have the choice. They have the convenience to go in the convenience store. They’ll have a choice to go into the retail store and everyone’s hunky dorey.”
So what did the workers get in the tentative deal? An eight-percent increase over the three-year life of the contract and the conversion of about 1000 jobs from part-time to full-time. As well as a promise that no Liquor Control Board stores would close. One union leader said these were significant gains.
Meanwhile, a steady stream of customers were in and out of the busier LCBO locations. Many of them were also glad to see the end of the dry spell. Those who wanted to drink, and couldn’t wait the two weeks, paid a lot more to drink at bars.
Convenience stores will be able to start selling beer, wine, and coolers as of early September. Licensed grocery stores can begin at the end of October.
