Workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario have voted in favour of striking if their union and the Crown-owned retailer fail to reach an agreement in contract talks.
The result of the union's strike vote was announced Saturday, with 93 per cent of the 3,672 ballots cast in favour of taking strike action if necessary.
The main issue is what the Ontario Public Service Employees Union describes as a declining number of full-time positions in favour of lower paying part-time and contract work with little job security.
"What kind of Ontario do we want when it comes to the kind of jobs that we have in our communities? Are we going to have part-time, temporary, casual disposable jobs that nobody can live on? Or are we going to have decent, full-time, permanent jobs that people can raise a family on, or buy a house on, or retire on," said union spokesman Randy Robinson.
The union says about 60 per cent of its members from the LCBO are casual employees who earn about $20,000 a year on average.
"For a rich, rich employer like this, it's just not acceptable," Robinson said.
The LCBO, however, says contract and part-time positions are necessary for the operation of the business.
Demand fluctuates throughout the year and stores need more staff at peak periods, like the winter holidays and the warm summer months, said Chris Layton, an LCBO spokesman.
"The amount of staff is relevant to the amount of business that you have. In other words, you would have all this staff and you wouldn't have the business," he said.
The union and the LCBO are scheduled to meet for several days next week, starting Tuesday.
Robinson said the union does not expect the possibility of a strike to for several weeks.
About 6,000 workers have been without a contract since the end of March.
