According to the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), 97% of those participating in the vote granted a strike mandate to the bargaining committee. No less than 8,060 employees participated in the vote which took place over four days, a participation rate of 86%, a historic high according to the union.
For OPSEU, the employees conveyed to their employee and to the premier of the province, Doug Ford that they were not expecting to back down.
Employees will get more specific information on a timeline Monday evening.
The union said negotiations would be underway next week.
In response to the vote, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (RAQ) indicated that it was putting measures in place to prepare for a possible strike, should it fail to reach an agreement with the union.
The company argued its plan would ensure continued customer service in the event of a strike.
“The (RAQ) does not want a strike,” she declared in a press release. We have several bargaining dates this week during which we will resume discussions with a focus on a renewal of the collective agreement with OPSEU that is fair to our unionized employees and helps the (RAQ) operate efficiently for Ontarians in a changing marketplace.
The employees division of the Régie des alcools filed a notice in January to negotiate with a view to the end of the collective agreement, scheduled for March 31.
