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"Instead of just listening to Don Drummond, the Premier should seek input from OPSEU/NUPGE members who contribute so much to the quality of Ontario public services. We are the solution and through engagement we can help.” - Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President.
Toronto (27 Feb. 2012) - On Feb. 13, President and CEO of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) Bob Peter sent an announcement to liquor board members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) informing them of finance minister Dwight Duncan's direction to sell the LCBO head office property, including the Toronto warehouse and Queens Quay liquor store.
According to the letter, the reason for the sale is that the head office facility is on property that has appreciated significantly over time and greater value can be extracted from this asset if it is sold for redevelopment. The letter also states that the sale will likely take several years and the announcement does not mean the LCBO will be privatized.
This announcement was made without any advance consultation with OPSEU/NUPGE, the bargaining agent for workers at these sites. The union has demanded full disclosure of details, including timelines and expected impacts on affected bargaining unit employees. This disclosure session will happen on March 6, 2012, at the Provincial Labour-Management meeting. OPSEU/NUPGE has requested a representative from the Ministry of Finance attend in order to respond to important questions.
Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU President said, "Good labour relations means that people have a say in the decisions that affect them. That did not happen here. Instead of just listening to Don Drummond, the Premier should seek input from OPSEU/NUPGE members who contribute so much to the quality of Ontario public services. We are the solution and through engagement we can help.”
He made it clear that we will take a strong stand against decisions made without looking at the impact on our members and without proper consultation with their union
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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE