43 responses so far ↓

• 1 pootz // May 30, 2009 at 8:54 am

  What an abomination. No private corp could withstand this top heavy, fragmented costly management.

  Eg: a demand commodity monopoly that pays $170/yr. for a marking director??

  A monopoly with a sales dept?

  Ridiculous, atrocious, effete.

  I understand now where the political pressure comes from to stop privatization. It isn’t the union, it’s the redundant parasitic crown corp. executive clique.

• 2 Justin // Jul 19, 2009 at 12:48 pm

  pootz:

  Not true. There have been endless cases here and south of the border to demonstrate that the boards and executive management of “private” corporations consume far more money than in our public ones. Many of the top people’s bonuses alone are more than the 170k salary you complain about. These bonuses even come in times where their companies underperform and lose money. Effectively, look at companies in the auto & financial sectors. Of course I say “private” because it’s really executives ripping off you and me, as most of us are shareholders through our pensions or mutual funds.

  The LCBO is extremely profitable and well-run, and the taxpayer reaps the benefit. I wish that most private retailers were as pleasurable to shop in and carried such a wide variety of product. Of course they still need marketing & sales, they are still a business, and need to convince people to buy more.

  The problems you encounter in the Beer Store in terms of eliminating micro-breweries is a by-product of your fond love of private interests controlling the game. I don’t even want to imagine what the LCBO would look like if it were privatized.

• 3 Rich // Sep 3, 2009 at 1:08 am

  Let’s not forget the perks afforded by officers from companies like Bicardi, when they fly them over to Italy, etc. Given the fact that the AGCO was flushed completely due to bribes, etc., we will never know how selfish and underhanded the government can be.

  Privatization can become extremely efficient with legislation and boundaries made through definitions. Just because they’re private, doesn’t mean they will be practicing extortion. That is a fallacy. Government is known to be ignorant about business, and plain old inefficient.

• 4 Northernlight // Feb 23, 2010 at 5:27 pm

  Justin, are you kidding me?!?! Your contention that private companies consume more money that public companies (if even true) misses the fundamental issue here. Private companies work towards a bottom line – to make money. The LCBO operates under the sole purpose of keeping thousands of overpaid people employed. It is a union, pure and simple. There is no point to the LCBO! You are exactly the problem here in Ontario (if not an employee). You walk into the palatial marbled stores, shop for your mass-produced crappy beverages, ignore the rude overpaid tellers, and grab your free magazine on your way out and think ‘Wow, what a great experience.’ Never mind that everything you just saw and touched was paid for by the alcohol tax revenue that should be going to hospitals, police, roads, etc. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. The millions of dollars of bureaucracy, waste and bloat behind the scenes is where we are really getting robbed. Get informed man, because you are either an employee or one of the laughable many blinded by years of union lies and manipulation.

• 5 Jean Garofoli // Jun 28, 2010 at 1:33 pm

  I cannot find out how much, say a cashier, working full time, earns, at an LCBO Store.
  I do know that a cashier, say at Longos or No Frills, or even the Hotshot Sobeys earn $9.50 per hour or less.
  Please, LCBO employee, will someone open up on this? Why hide it???

• 6 Jean Garofoli // Jun 28, 2010 at 1:34 pm

  I forgot. Please, email me on the LCBO cashier earnings subject.

• 7 Kay // Aug 29, 2010 at 5:30 pm

  LCBO cashiers are usually university/college students, and they make minimum wage or a few cents more. Also, if someone can point me to an LCBO with marbled walls or floors, I would love to see one. And mass-produced crappy beverages? They sell Smithwicks and Grey Goose, which are most assuredly not “crappy”.

• 8 Joel Robins // Jan 4, 2011 at 10:49 pm

  I have lived in Ontario were the LCBO operates ,and have been out in Calgary and Quebec and BC .The service you get in these privately owned places out there is just a mess. LCBO is doing a good job in Ontario and is making money for the taxpayer.People working there deserve the big money they are managing the company well.You want to make the LCBO private and give the money to the top CEO’s that will be owning it ,why??????

• 9 Kelly // Jan 6, 2011 at 4:46 pm

  Kay,
  you are wrong, LCBO cashiers do not earn minimum wage, infact they earn almost double of minimum wage, and this is for part time employees. Full time, earn close to 25$ per hour, although they are paid a yearly salary.

• 10 M // Feb 8, 2011 at 2:35 pm

  I actually work for the lcbo… I was seasonal help for a year before I got a part time, all year round position… right now I make $16 an hour and Ive been working for the lcbo for almost 4 years. I can also expect to be a part time employee for over 5 more years. You have part time employees who are part time employees for 10 years or more before even a CHANCE to become full time. Most of the employees that work for the LCBO are part time employees who can also get transfered to other locations without the request of a transfer, and if you want to keep your job you need to pack up and change locations, even if its an hour away and within your district(and in my district its pretty big!).. Part time emplyees are not garanteed hours… so one week you might work 20 hours or less and sometimes 30 hours a week. Employees get to put in hours and save a little before christmas and during the summer when were busy. Part time employees dont have any benefits, only full time employees have benefits. I work on cash, I put stock away at least 5 days a week, I help to break down the load at the back and i help maintain a clean and safe work place for all staff and customers. When you work for the LCBO your job isnt restricted to just a cashier. You need to be customer oriented and physically fit to lift large loads. The LCBO is a great business bringing in product from all over the world for our customers, employees work hard and from what ive seen as an employee with the LCBO, employees work so hard that they deserve more than what their getting at the moment, If you dont work for the ogranization, I dont think you should be talking… SO DONT TALK ABOUT HOW OVER PAID AND OVER PRIVLAGED LCBO EMPLOYEES ARE!!!

• 11 D // Feb 11, 2011 at 8:17 am

  Do you really think the LCBO workers make that much money, you are wrong!! We are grateful to have a job as many people are losing there jobs, however we are over worked and at times feel under paid. Lets see stores receive, 250-1000 cases some daily some every other day and they have to receive this truck and double handle the material, sometimes triple handle by the end of the day . Ranging from 15lbs-80llbs a day, you have to be knowledgeable in the products and pass test. You are accountable to the public to make sure everyone is safe, and can be fined up to 50,000 if we are not responsible within our job. No one but full-time is garented any hours , to be able to maintain a healthy and balanced home for there families. Your hours go from all over. So we have 75% of the employees that are disabled. So we have it good!!! Yes we have jobs! It is a fair and equitable employer absolutely not!! It has nothing to do with the Union… If it was a fair place of employment a Union would not be needed!! Privatizing the LCBO would be a Community nightmare. Cancelling the LCBO head management Bonus and keeping the LCBO in the public hands is exactly the way it should be in Ontario!!!

• 12 Justin // Feb 27, 2011 at 4:57 pm

  M AND D, what are you talking about?

  I make somewhat more that your “PT” 16/hr, but give me a break…

  ” You need to be customer oriented and physically fit to lift large loads”

  Good for you. There are thousands of individuals in Ontario making somewhat less doing the same tasks.

  “Cancelling the LCBO head management Bonus and keeping the LCBO in the public hands is exactly the way it should be in Ontario!!!”

  You, obviously could care less about the consumer and are oblivious to prices abroad. This is why you make somewhat more than minimum wage.

  WHY would you ask me to pay 2x+ more for the same product I can drive 30km south to buy for 50% the price. This is a good part of why you are being paid

  “Ranging from 15lbs-80llbs a day, you have to be knowledgeable in the products and pass test”

  Give me a break…are you insane?

  How often do employees of retail stores have to “range” from 15-80 a day for minimum wage.

  Face it, you are overpaid.

  If I did not live in Ontario, I would not shop at LCBO.

  Justin

• 13 S416 // Mar 14, 2011 at 6:49 am

  Justin – I am an LCBO PT employee. “Caring about the consumer” has a different meaning to us than simply providing you with the lowest price for your booze.

  The reason the LCBO exists is to regulate the distribution of a potentially dangerous (and in no way healthy) commodity. Yes, our salaries are higher than the private sector. This is because we are in an union that fights for its employees rights. Who is to say we are overpaid? Perhaps the private sector employees are underpaid.. Do a little bit of research on unions and you will see that we have them to thank (union and non-union employees) for the labour laws and employee rights we all have by law.

  In terms of the cost of booze, you have to understand that alcohol is heavily taxed, and that generates billions of dollars for the Ontario government. Let’s face it, we’re not talking about pharmaceuticals here, we don’t need to have alcohol for cheap for the well-being and health of our lives (although Im sure some would argue that we do LOL).

• 14 lol. // Mar 24, 2011 at 11:30 pm

  I work for the LCBO.
  Yes, the taxes on the booze is incredibly high. But, as mentioned, that tax generates billions of dollars for the provincial government, which, in turn, goes towards other projects that supposedly benefit the taxpayer in other ways.

  The product we regulate and sell is a privilege for you to enjoy. It is not your right to buy booze. As mentioned, booze doesn’t need to be CHEAP. It is not a necessary -life-sustaining food or pharmaceutical item. One of the reasons we haven’t gone private is because our board does a good job in the regulation of alcohol. What other business would readily turn away over 1,000,000 customers a year? So what if you think we’re overpaid? We have to deal with the consequences of regulating a drug, a drug that many people unfortunately need. It isn’t all rainbows working for the board. We’re held personally accountable to the public for the sale of these goods. It’s NOT an easy task to confront alcoholics, drunks, minors, thieves, etc. so please, enough with the bullshit.

• 15 logan6 // Mar 27, 2011 at 2:13 pm

  Yes the LCBO has its problems and some employees do not respond well to some customers who are abusive. However, it is true hours are not guaranteed. There is a seniority system and some of the new hires, called casual employees not seasonal employees are not guaranteed hours. When you first start with the LCBO, there are weeks when you get one four or five hour shift. People who have worked for the LCBO for a couple of years often get ten to sixteen hours a week. It is only after you have worked for the LCBO for ten to twelve years that you achieve full time status with full benefits and a pension. Up until this time casual employees get a certain percentage on top of theie wages in lieu of benefits. However, after five years of working at the LCBO you do qualify for some benefits with the proviso that you worked 1300 hours the previous year. So my last tax return for LCBO (2010) had my gross salary at 21K because there isn’t a guarantee of hours. So I hope this sheds some light and yes there are lazy people at the LCBO, but there are lazy people at every organization.
  Thanks for your time

• 16 Mia Anderson // Mar 31, 2011 at 10:57 am

  I also work for the LCBO and I’ve only been here for 6 months and make 16.08/hr including my extra 12%. ill be getting a 2% raise every april and after my 1st year i get about 1.36 raise. So the girl who’s beeing working @ the lcbo for 4 years and is making 16$, ur either getting ripped off or not looking @ ur pay stubs! The pay is very good @ the LCBO for what your actually doing 🙂 don’t hate ppl! Just get better jobs 🙂

• 17 beerstore // May 23, 2011 at 3:01 pm

  Compared to the beer store.. Our cashiers start at 10.16 an hour (or min. wage) and get a dollar raise each year you are there. Im lucky enough to be under the old contract where we were getting raises every 6 months.. ive been there for 4 years.. and i’m making 14.25 (14.46 to supervise)<thats when min. wage was 9.86. We have to deal with empties and take back the liquor bottles and also serve customers.. with less and less staff and more and more responsibility. I do feel either you guys are over paid.. to just stock and serve. We stock serve, handle empties and everyone's garbage. i would like to see the beer store to make what LCBO makes. We also have part time staff that goes by seniority, hours range from 2 hours a week to 44 hours .. (it changes weekly) and our stores only have 1 full time assigned.

• 18 beerstore // May 23, 2011 at 3:12 pm

  Beer Store salary:
  2008 contract (if you were hired in 2010)
  starting wage: 10.16
  after 1 year: 11.55
  after 2 years: 13.24
  after 3 years: 14.25
  after 4 years:15.84
  Also you pay union dues and you have to purchase your own uniform. You are able to move around province wide but you start at the bottom of the seniority list if you do move to another store..

  just dont get why the beer store is cutting hours and staffing, when the ODR program is taking off.. The LCBO is hiring and hiring.. and giving more hours where beer store is cutting.. Thats why u got the line ups at the beer store to return empties.. also… the people who have no clue how to sort their returns.. (put it back in the box it came in and not bring in huge loads).. lets see the lcbo deal with that..lol

• 19 also beerstore... // May 25, 2011 at 11:20 pm

  Its because the union is corrupt. A number of 20,000 dollar bribes from corporate went secretly to key people in UFCW12R24 to let them put in ODR without negotiating a new contract.

  They have the union in their pocket, which is why the wages and staffing are on the decrease and MAJOR health issues like respiratory problems arising from using glass crushers on wine empties are being ignored.

  This is what happens when you let private companies control the entire supply of a product.

• 20 beerstore // May 27, 2011 at 9:41 pm

  that is true.. how about being short staffed on a friday of a weekend.. and only having 2 employees… because all the hours are used to put beer away… the beer store says they wanna be customer oriented.. but the employees get in crap for a complaint because we are short staffed.. its never the companies’ fault. If they wanna win customers they need to provide more hours and stop being soo cheap on hours!

• 21 lcbo // Jul 28, 2011 at 9:20 pm

  hey beerstore, you know you’d jump ships to the lcbo the second you had the chance! in fact, i bet you’re already signed up on our e-mail list for job notifications in your area 🙂

• 22 Ryan // Aug 12, 2011 at 3:28 pm

  I see a lot of opinions here, only few containing the truth.

  1) I would like to first address the claims of these “gross incomes” of the top earners within the LCBO as being too large. The LCBO is a multi-billion dollar business. The fact that most of these people dont make over 150k/year is actually quite rare. I challenge you to take any multi-billion dollar (privately owned and operated) business and see for yourself if they will not only disclose the yearly earnings of thier CEO’s and top execs. Ill let you know now, they do not, and it far exceeds 100k/year.

  2) Ive heard advertisements claiming that privitization would actually open up more choice and selection for the consumer. I assure you this couldnt be further from the truth. Privitization would actually do the exact opposite as only the top earning products would be sold. Ask youself this; why would a private company have products imported which do not profit greatly. Private business sells what sells big. They are not in the business of providing you selection. Go to any privately owned multi-billion dollar business and sure, you may see 10 different vaccuum slections, and 12 different models of stoves and fridges, but they are usually all from 2-3 different production companies. Who ever can deliver the lowest cost and maximize revenue for the private business.

  3) That said, I would also like to make it clear that regardless of the LCBO’s crown corp. status, it operates much in the same way as a privately owned organization. Guess what, sales is the bottom line. Having worked with the LCBO, if the store manager underperforms or losses revenue from previous years, they are removed.

  4) SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY! The LCBO’s policy is that we do not server UNDERAGE, including SECOND PARTY PURCHASE FOR SOMEONE WHO IS UNDERAGE, and INTOXICATED patrons. Plain and simple, purchasing alcohol underage is not only illegal, but the punishment is more severe for LCBO employees than for the underage customer. The fine for serving someone who is underage, provided that reasonable grounds existed which should have provoked thier cashiers to demand identification is #250,000 and the fine for the store is $500,000. If you do not believe me, I invite you to read the Liquor License Act. We do not sell to intoxicated patrons, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES WE HAVE OUR LIVES THREATENED, INSULTED, OR ASSAULTED. The simple reason for this is that we have very little way of knowing whether or not the customer will get in thier vehicle and drive intoxicated, thus providing a person who clearly isn’t of sound judgement with more alcohol is not wise. I have refused countless intoxicated patrons in my time with the lcbo, and when possible, have recorded license plates and called the police. If you stink of alcohol, and cant even walk straight, I sure hope you get caught before you run my family over.

  5) I have also seen some pretty crazy amounts quoted here, as to how much LCBO employees make. There are three devisions of LCBO employees. Full-time, part-time, and fixed term contracts. During the summer, and winter, fixed term employees are hired and are paid minimum wage! Only recently has the wage been raised $1/hour to a total of $11.50/hour. Believe me, you are treated not as a contract worker, but more as “the help”. You are always on call, half the time you dont even know your shifts till the day before if not the day of, and you lift..life…and lift boxes all day. Loads of 800 on the small end, to nearly 1500 boxes. with varrying weights, but most over 40lbs. The heaviest i have had to lift was approximately 60lbs. ALL DAY LONG, for minimum wage. But every time im called for a shift the day of, I am only thankfull i have a job in this economy! Before anyone claims these people make too much, consider what TCC or other unionized business make, while keeping in mind that we put up with a lot of the same harasement, insults, and on occasion physical assaults. I myself have witnessed a intoxicated customer hit an employee with a bottle because she refused service, she was bleeding on her cashier till before anyone realized what happened. Yep, a day in the life of a lcbo part-timer, my god we are way over paid, someone should do something about this.

  6) The AGCO was created mainly because of corruption with the OLG who was involved in corruption with lottery issues. The police have a difficult time enough doing thier entire job and to enforce liquir license under the liquor license act is just another burden on an already taxed policing system. Thus the AGCO was created which has played a great intermediate agency to deal with both issues.

  7) Finally, if you are dissatisfied with the “prices” than you ought to be complaining to two parties here, not the LCBO. Those parties are 1) the government, and 2) the producer NOT the LCBO. Guess what, as part of that social responsibility, the prices are set so that per volume of alcohol, a certain price exists so that we do not promote imoderate consumption. Yes i think its a crazy law, but thats our government speaking so joe blow cant buy 1.75litres of vodka for the discounted sale of $20. Call up the AGCO and ask them about immoderate consumption, and they will tell you why prices are the way they are. The second part is that the producers of these products also have a say in the price tag. Yes, the good ‘ol debate about how come some producers can make $1 beers, but huge companies who have been mass producing beer for decades cant. They like thier profits the way they are.

  Well, I think I scratched the surface here…there is muh more but I will stop here.

• 23 mar // Nov 24, 2011 at 9:22 pm

  I am a part time staffer at an LCBO and I just wanted to say this: without LCBO helping your province, Ontario would not have the same level of social services that you each enjoy. LCBO provides an incredible level of into the ontario economy that serves everyone (that is, if you like driving on paved roads and having schools to send your children to). I am not trying to suggest that LCBO is the only reason this province thrives, but it actually is a large reason of why. As well, I dare you to look up the top salaries of employees at companies like RBC or CIBC. Working there can be tough, and while I understand that customer service agents everywhere get picked on, the people you are dealing with at LCBO are of an entirely different level. Try being yelled at many times a day by people who are refused service at the Jackson Square location in Hamilton, and you would agree that someone working there deserves more than minimum wage.

• 24 Kris // Nov 25, 2011 at 2:06 am

  Coca Cola pays temporary order pickers $21 an hour. Full time, doing the same job, you get paid $27 with a raise of about $1.50 every year.

  Drivers get paid upwards of $30.

  Very prominent union, and it is mostly easy work.

  Takes about 1-2 years to get full-time.

  So, $21 to pick up boxes, lifting around 8000lbs (13,000lbs on over time, lots of over time by the way) all day.

  I read all the comments above this one. The people who are generally “bitching” about how “unfair” things are tend to be “armchair” economists.

  If you have a problem with anything LCBO related, then I suggest you stop wasting time on the internet and go do something about the “hypocrisy” you think exists in this world. At least get some perspective. And even if at that point your still angry, go walk over to your local LCBO and buy a drink and relax in the fact that you, as a citizen of Canada only have to deal with First World problems.

  Anyone here making minimum wage lives like royalty as compared to the rest of the world. Don’t forget this fact.

• 25 seasonal booze jockey // Dec 4, 2011 at 8:18 pm

  Tales of overpaid LCBO employees are bunk, especially when it comes to front line staff. Seasonal help get about a buck more than minimum wage – not much for a job where a good chunk of the orientation concerns how not to take insults from drunks personally, what to do in a robbery, and how to avoid being hit, stabbed, or shot. Work at the LCBO involved the usual demands associated with working with the public, but is also a lot more demanding than regular retail. What other retail requires you to turn away potentially abusive and violent customers or risk a quarter million dollar fine?

  Regular PT and FT staff do make better money – but their responsibilities typically involve a lot more than just cash, stock, and sales. They are involved with helping a high-volume, tough business operation run smoothly. Maybe it’s different at smaller LCBOs, but I work at one of the busiest in the province, and a shift is a fast-paced, physically and mentally demanding experience (and I’ve had lots of other tough jobs.) There are definitely some surly employees, but most people (at my store anyway) work hard to be helpful and friendly, even when dealing with the minority of customers who are rude, angry, or intoxicated.

• 26 Tim // Sep 9, 2012 at 9:30 am

  Listen, CEO’s getting paid millions of dollars to get laid off from a bank they’ve driven into the ground is an “abomination”, not somebody making $170k a year in a government job. That may be too much money and a waste of taxpayers money, but let’s keep things in perspective here. The vast majority of LCBO employees do not look like their rolling in money to me. The tax dollars “wasted” on these working class individual with families to provide shouldn’t be much of a concern when compared to the millions wasted on fighting pointless wars and foreign oil companies who destroy our country and sell refined gas back to us at a profit… I don’t think that the LCBO or beer store should exist, either, but it is the least of my worries when I look at the other things the government deems worthy to waste tax dollars on…

• 27 Tim // Sep 9, 2012 at 9:31 am

  (So let’s not demonize the working class joe… he’s just trying to get by in life like everyone else…)

• 28 Marlex // Nov 17, 2012 at 6:47 pm

  I don’t mind if service people are paid well. Problem with LCBO is that their employees are given too much power and upper hand over customers which is unprecedented in any service industry. They act as some sort of wannabe cops. Backed up by monopoly and government protection it makes them “untouchable” little sheriffs in their little LCBO villages. I hope it will be privatized any time soon. Let’s see then how long they’ll be able to keep their over glorified jobs!

• 29 beer store // Dec 6, 2012 at 12:10 am

  Just an fyi… Senior management at the beer store are witholding hours from their locations…. Up to 10 percent allotted hours… This is cause for concern.. Health and safety, customer service side… Stock… Just to make more money for themselves… We were allotted hours for the liquor bottle program and they are taking it away… Our contract is up december 31st… Get ready for a strike !!

• 30 TBS // Feb 15, 2013 at 11:04 am

  I really don’t think anything big is going to change with our (Beer Store) new contract, from what I’ve heard from the 20+ yr FT’s it will only get worse.
  I have to back up everything that has been said about TBS. We are extremely short staffed, and no matter what you LCBO employees say your job is not even close to being as labour intensive. Must be nice to have your hydraulic lift devices in the back for lifting cases of wine (I’ve seen them) not to mention all of the older people on light duty work (I’ve seen it from doing deliveries to LCBO’s) Us guys and gals at TBS use old fashion muscles half the time we’re killing our backs, arms and legs just to get the 300+ brands continuously stocked while people are complaining “what’s taking them so long are they making the beer back there” We don’t have 1 employee/1 customer like LCBO Unlike TBS with 1 employee/10 customers.
  Now for the ODR program. If you think that $10.16 starting wage for being made to stick your hands into garbage bags full of rotting chicken wings and cockroaches to pick 20 cans out for someone (because they think its our job) is acceptable it is not. Heaven forbid someone touch their own empties! I would love to see LCBO employees deal with that (You are being paid well enough for it)….

• 31 George // May 8, 2013 at 2:38 pm

  I currently work at the LCBO and make a little over $12 an hour as a cashier with a University education. I support the LCBO (obviously) and what they do. They are 100% dedicated to community safety by not serving intoxicated people, not serving underaged persons, and when possible not serving people who appear to be buying for minors.

  Do you think a new immigrant to Canada who runs their own corner store or works at a 7/11 will ID every single person who looks like they may not be of age? There is an exceptional system of accountability for each LCBO location and for every employee who works there and if liquor is privatized, who will be accountable for an increase in the rate of youth’s consuming alcohol? Who will be accountable for a rise in drinking and driving?

  In terms of social responsibility, nothing can beat the LCBO and isn’t that what we should all be focused on rather than getting cheaper booze at the price of lives?

• 32 B,Tremblay // May 13, 2013 at 4:28 pm

  Can’t waite to see it privatize

• 33 tbs // May 14, 2013 at 9:28 am

  Oh by the way, lcbo should take a pay freeze… Only other retail establishment that is comparable is the beer store, and our pay increase was only 29 cents! And we do hell of a lot more then you guys at lcbo. And the lcbo says they are 60 percent casual/partime… The beer store is in same boat.. Or even higher in part time, some stores are solely part time stores! If it is such a human rights discrimation then why hasn’t it been taken to court before by other unions who have majority part time staff? Lcbo is setting itself up to fail. Don’t worry beer lovers the beer store is totally open for business ! As we understand tough times and don’t hold the public hostage 🙂 and aren’t greedy… Starting rate 10.16 for pt max 17.39 after 7 years. 18 to start full time 25 after 4 years … Explain how that’s fair when our part times do more work then full time

• 34 Eggman // May 14, 2013 at 9:38 am

  Wow- when I read the comments of the LCBO employees, about how, as part-time employees, they have to stock shelves, be physically fit, and do more than just be a Cashier, it’s irritating. Guess what- that’s retail! I worked for two years at a Bass Pro (good wage, excellent discounts)- they were more than willing to hire people on as Full-time, because they don’t have a militant, ridiculous Union breathing down their neck. If scale wages don’t almost triple when you hire people on full time, then it’s actually sound business sense to have full time employees, but when you add the ridiculous benefits package, compounded by the fact that OPSEU employees can’t be fired for anything (and this is a huge problem)- it’s no wonder that any sane business person would opt to keep labour casual. Look at IT- LCBO contracts all of it’s IT Personnel at rates that far exceed private sector contractor bids, simply because it’s much more cost effective than dealing with Union skirmishes, soaring benefits (the Provincial Public Sector packages are opulent compared to Private Sector). This is true across the board with Provincial work.

• 35 Anon // May 20, 2013 at 3:43 pm

  Let me preface my comment by stating that I myself work for the LCBO as a casual employee.

  To your unexpectedness, I will not zealously defend the company simply because of my association with it as an employee. The LCBO does have problems, and criticisms of the structure and its practices warrant considerable attention. The truth is, the company IS spectacularly wasteful and frivolous in some of its spending -see marketing, for one. Air Miles, for another. Purchasing practices, etc. It is, for another, spectacularly inefficient in some areas as well. The ultimate lesson I’ve learned is that politics (and nepotism) affects this organization (as is in any other area of public life.)

  As for its employees, I will be the first to make the concession that, just as in other areas of public service, some people are simply lazy or dangerously incompetent. While I make that concession, I will gladly side with those whose criticisms of unions focus on this very problem.

  I will not, however, make the concession that unions are unnecessary apparatuses in the protection of workers rights, a right to a fair wage which increases in lockstep with the cost of living, and protection against freezes in compensation or arbitrary termination, safety standards, etc. Workers rights matter. You don’t, as I’m assuming that most people who read this are working class Canadians, want a reserve army of labour analogous to the circumstances of Wal-Mart in the states. Unions do and absolutely help in this regard.

  My final point is this. Working class (indeed all classes) Canadians, no matter their professions, deserve the right to make a fair living. The income gap between Canadian classes is irrevocably widening and we as the people who demand accountability from our leaders are letting it happen whether tacitly or purposely. It is time most Canadians stop fighting with each other on such issues.

  Perhaps, as a final word, maybe the LCBO and its union should undergo some reforms -to fire people who are, in fact, remarkably lazy or incompetent, to change buying practices to allow for more craft beer selection, etc. But driving its employees into more precarious positions by reducing wages, hours, benefits, etc, is not and never will be the answer for a more prosperous Ontario -this corporation delivers so much revenue to the province it is simply mind-boggling. Reducing provincial deficits by eliminating it as a public entity would be counter-intuitive, I would believe.

  Just my 0.02.

• 36 Douglas // Sep 11, 2013 at 9:04 am

  Lot’s of info on what part-time employees make but no one has offered what a full time employee or manager makes. Why not?

• 37 george // Sep 21, 2013 at 1:21 pm

  I always had an easier time buying liquor at the lcbo than buying than buying smokes at a convenience store when I was underage

  The LCBO should not be a public corporation and do advertising. If profit is the bottom line then it should be privitized, if public safety is the bottom line, it should not advertise and should be a dull and dreary store.

• 38 LP // Sep 29, 2013 at 2:28 am

  Until you have walked in our shoes? Shut the heck up! Ok. So you want to dispute our wages as ” cashiers ” go for it. I dare you to walk into ANY retail business and do a survey. 1. How many times a day does the cashier get yelled at? Probably many! Same as us. 2. How many times a day does that same cashier get called names? Again, probably many, as do we. 3. How many times a day does the cashier get struck? Not to many, I bet. We get it often. 3. How many times a day does that cashier get threatened with bodily harm? Likely not too many if at all. We get that on a very regular basis. 4. How many times a day does the cashier have glass bottles thrown at them? Well, to be fair, given the glass bottle thing, not a fair question for you to ask. However, again, that is a daily thing at the LCBO. 5. How many days of the week does that very same cashier need to be escorted to their vehicle at shift end by other staff members out of necessity and personal safety? Most will say never. We have that happen again, daily for at least one or possibly more staff members. 6. How many times a week does the cashier need to be escorted to their vehicle by police? I would confidently say none. We have that privilege on a regular basis. ONLY because we refused to serve an individual that was intoxicated and they took great exception to that, however, because we refused, your family is safer. 7. How many of these cashiers have seen their manager or a co worker chased around the store by an enraged customer who was denied for intoxication? NONE! At the LCBO again, a weekly occurrence.

  We don’t only cashier. We are verbally, and occasionally physically abused, we are verbally and occasionally physically assaulted, we are DAILY threatened with assault and bodily harm. We are very regularly faced with all of this as is our security team.

  How can you sit in judgement of wages you deem inappropriate until you have been here? We are paid well, NOT as well as you think. I have been a permanent casual for 5 years. My wage is $20 per hour. No benefits, no guaranteed hours, and no guarantee I will arrive home at the end of the day in one whole piece. How DARE you assume and criticize me for being over paid!!

  Yes, we cashier, stock shelves, receive and put away loads, in the case of my store we get a minimum of 900 cases on the load 4 days a week and a minimum of 600 cases of beer 2days a week, we also do ALOT in the background that as a customer you would not see.

  EVERY SINGLE time there has been an altercation in my store alone, whether it be verbal or physical, I have ALWAYS had a number of customers say to me that we are not paid enough to deal with what they have just witnessed. Sure, I know that other employees at other organizations have issues as well, but 99% of the time, they are not dealing with intoxicated, belligerent, violent customers.

  This is my job. It is what I do every day. I am just out there making a living. I am not judging you? Why do you feel it is right to judge me? Don’t tell me what I make! Don’t tell me what I deserve to make.

  Have you ever done my job? Have you ever taken an oath and signed an agreement that should you be found serving underage, intoxicated, or second party purchasers, that you know, understand and agree that you will be fired, charged and fined a minimum of $6000, and or 2 years in prison? When you sign that! Then you maybe have a right to speak on this issue.

  When you have dealt with the circumstances we deal with daily? Then you may have a right to question our wages.

  When you have trauma counsellor s come to your work after a customer related issue? Then you may have a right to question privatization.

  When you are off for injury because a simple retail customer decides that you have no right to uphold the law in a ” simple retail cashier” position? Then you MIGHT have a right to judge me!

  You and your family are safer on the roads because of the LCBO and it terribly offensive rules and regulations.

  May God help us all if it all goes into corner stores.

• 39 MX // Dec 3, 2013 at 3:14 pm

  @LP

  “My wage is $20 per hour. No benefits, no guaranteed hours, and no guarantee I will arrive home at the end of the day in one whole piece. How DARE you assume and criticize me for being over paid!!”

  And how dare YOU make those same assumptions for others in retail. You obviously have no idea! I’ve had customers yell at me, threaten me, throw stuff at me, hit me etc etc and I work at a party supply store. I don’t get paid $20/hr for it either, I get paid just over minimum wage. And before you ask – yes- this is a regular occurance in regular retail too.

  Now stop whining about your job and STFU! I will GLADLY take your pay AND your job since I put up with the same crap you do. You just live in a fairytale world where you think everyone else has it easy. Try working a regular retail job and you’ll be in for the shock of your life!

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• 41 short and sweet // Feb 11, 2014 at 2:55 pm

  1) LCBO employees make a higher than minimum wage salary – true
  2) their jobs are physically demanding – true
  3)can be fined up to $100, 000 and spend a year in jail for selling to minors or intoxicated peopl – true
  4) the reason you pay so much for alcohol – false
  Alcohol is taxed to pay for things like healthcare. if this tax is taken away then it will be placed elsewhere or we will lose our free healthcare.
  5) I can drive 30 min and go buy booze for half price – false
  in order to bring alcohol back from the states even duty free you must stay over for 48 hours or more. duties on each bottle would be $40 which makes it actually cost twice as much than in the LCBO.

  in all honesty your problems are not the LCBO Salaries but the fact you feel you pay too much and want easier access. i would prefer free healthcare and i can manage buying my alcohol before 9pm and am happy that people in ontario are getting a better wage. (aren’t we fighting for that?)

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