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Information for OPSEU members in the Liquor Board Employees Division • Issue 32 • May 6, 2010
McGuinty pounds the privatization drum
That noise you hear off in the prepared to privatize all or part of
distance is the sound of Dalton these public corporations, all in
McGuinty beating the drum for the the name of deficit reduction.
possible privatization of the LCBO. The view from LBED is clear.
In recent months the Premier We want no part of McGuinty’s
has spoken out on several privatization scheme. Mike Harris
occasions that he’s prepared tried privatization a decade ago
to look at different ownership and we successfully fought back.
models for Ontario’s key crown Harris ran for cover the moment
agencies, like the LCBO, Ontario liquor board employees mounted privatization plan. Our message
Power Generation and the a counter-offensive and he never is unambiguous and crystal clear:
Lottery and Gaming Commission. raised the issue again. McGuinty’s priorities are upside
Together these public assets have McGuinty can expect no less down.
become known as ‘Crown Jewels’ from LBED if he tries to pull off It’s Our LCBO. Let’s Keep it
and they contribute billions of the same sleight-of-hand. Public!
dollars in revenue to the provincial At this week’s OPSEU Visit www.opseu.org/lbed
treasury each year. convention, LBED delegates will regularly for new information
What the Premier is really learn more about our strategy to on LBED’s anti-privatization
saying is that his government is fight back against McGuinty’s campaign.
Casual Benefits: All Part of the Plan “This is a day a lot of us have been waiting for”
said a relieved CSR Joseph Alam. Although Joseph
After waiting what seemed like an eternity, close to doesn’t have any immediate requirements from the
1,000 eligible employees were enrolled in the LCBO plan, he knows he didn’t want to get caught off guard
casual benefit plan on Apr. 1. by an Illness or dental requirement down the road
To be eligible for the plan you must be a casual without coverage.
employee with at least five years service and to have Others will benefit immediately. One 27-year old
a minimum of 1,300 hours worked in the previous employee, who didn’t wish to be identified and who
calendar year. suffers from diabetes, said the plan will take care of
The three major elements of the CBP include: a his $20,000-a-year financial obligation. He stressed
prescription drug plan, dental plan, and basic life how meaningful the plan will be to him and his family.
insurance. Much to the delight of those who received Another member, identified as Jennifer, suffers from
it, the package is straight forward and covers off much Crones Disease and said that she can now, financially,
of which we bargained for. allow her doctor to “treat the disease properly, with
The members are impressed, delighted, and even a the right medications”. Her previous lack of coverage
little surprised. dictated that her medication choices were made on
the basis of cost, not effectiveness.
...C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 2
O n t a r i o P u b l i c S e r v i c e E m p l o y e e s U n i o n • 1- 8 0 0 - 2 6 8 -7 376 o r ( 416 ) 4 4 3 - 8 8 8 8 • w w w.o p s e u .o r g
These examples remind us of the importance a questionnaire to collect specific job information in
of collective bargaining and maintaining solidarity order to evaluate and compare jobs. This is a lengthy
throughout the negotiating process. For more process and the employees will be notified of the
information about the new casual benefits package progress of these negotiations as newsletters from
contact the LCBO’s human resources division. the committee are posted and circulated. The next
Should you require clarification about our collective meeting date is May 11-14.
agreement, contact your local president or an OPSEU
staff representative in your region. NUPGE Liquor Component Meeting
Editing continues for new Collective Agreement Our Division has put out a call to all other liquor
components in Canada to meet in Toronto on May
The edit committee continues to proof read the 26-27. This meeting has been called so that we can
language in our new Collective Agreement and has exchange information with our brothers and sisters
met with the employer on several dates. Regrettably, a from other provinces on past bargaining issues,
meeting with the employer scheduled for Apr. 28 had and the continuing threat of privatization that affects
to be postponed to a later date. provincial liquor boards. A full report on the meeting
will be published in the next issue of Echo.
New members on LBED standing committees
Region 1 health and safety activists meet in London
There have been some personnel changes to a
pair of LBED standing committees. We are pleased to On Mar. 11 activists from different communities in
announce membership in the following committees: Region 1 (southwest Ontario) met at the OPSEU office
in London to organize LBED’s first regional health and
Employment Equity Committee safety committee. The group included: Jennifer Van
• Denise Davis, Chair, Local 378, Durham Zetten, Mark Jukema, Mike Robertson, Michael Peris
• Gino Vendetti – new member, Local 5109, Oshawa and Dave Vermue.
• Barbara Trigiani – new member, Local 5107, Toronto The purpose of the meeting was to draw together
activists from a range of locations in the region to
Employee Assistance Committee (EAP) discuss issues of mutual concerns to our members.
• Paul Carriere, Chair, Local 499, Ottawa While the provincial health and safety committee
• Valerie Daughton – new member, Local 5110, Toronto works with the employer on issues of province-wide
• Sean Spratt – new member, Local 5107, Toronto importance, it was felt there is a role for regional
committees to tackle problems, like asbestos
Pay Equity – Joint Job Evaluation Committee contamination, that are closer to the members’
workplaces.
Pay equity is defined as equal pay for work of equal The meeting also served to remind local presidents
or comparable value. Under the Pay Equity Act of of the importance of assigning representatives to
Ontario, the LCBO and OPSEU are jointly obligated to health and safety committees.
ensure compliance with this legislation, which requires For more information about organizing regional
that we develop and post a Pay Equity Plan for the health and safety committees in your region, contact
bargaining unit. LBED health and safety committee chair Tracy
The joint job evaluation committee has developed Vyfschaft at tcshaft@xplornet.com.
Thanks to Devon Ford, Tracy Vyfschaft and Denise PLEASE POST AND CIRCULATE
Davis for contributing to this edition of Echo.
The Echo is authorized for distribution by:
You can receive the Echo directly by
Get on e-mail. Just let us know how to reach
you. Give us your secure e-mail address
the list! by calling the OPSEU Resouce Centre: Denise Davis Warren (Smokey) Thomas
1-800-268-7376 or 416-443-8888. Chair, LBED President, OPSEU
Information for OPSEU members in the Liquor Board Employees Division • The Echo
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