Solidarity picket line outside London LCBO sees several unions show support

A solidarity picket line outside of the LCBO outlet at Oxford and Wonderland, July 18, 2024 (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

A solidarity picket line outside the LCBO outlet at Oxford and Wonderland today saw a large gathering of supporters from several unions.

OPSEU Local 163 President Louise Beneteau said, "We have the educators, the OSSTF. We've got CUPE, we've got ONA. We're all standing. We're scared for our health care and our education."

With the strike nearly two weeks old, the union and LCBO leadership resumed bargaining yesterday for the first time since job action began.

The union claims that the Ford government is pushing more product into grocery and convenience stores, putting jobs and provincial revenue at risk.

Beneteau said that the LCBO is a huge money maker for the province, "$2.5 billion of the revenue. So you already have the taxes. So the revenue is profit, and that money goes back into our health care and our education and infrastructure. We need those profits."

- with files from CTV News London's Gerry Dewan