Updated: Mon Jun. 22 2009 4:02:42 PM

ctvtoronto.ca

With city workers walking off the job in Toronto, city residents might face some trouble drowning their sorrows if LCBO workers follow suit.

The 7,200 workers, represented by OPSEU, could be on strike as early as Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. They will picket, but will not prevent shoppers from entering the stores.

The union says the key issues are the ongoing trend towards part-time and casual jobs and management's desire to issue 90-day layoff notices to any employee at any time.

"This is about workers being poorly treated - part-time and casual workers," union vice-president and treasurer Patty Rout told a news conference Monday outside LCBO headquarters.

"Twenty years ago, all the jobs were full-time," she said. "Now, 60 per cent are part-time or casual, people making $10 to $17 an hour, making less than $20,000 a year."

The LCBO has said it requires flexibility in staffing because the volume of business varies so much over the course of a business day.

According to the LCBO's website, the provincial agency had sales of $4.1 billion in fiscal 2007-08, paying a dividend to the province of $1.3. billion.

"This did not include $382 million in PST, $119 million in GST and $339 million in excise taxes and import duties. When payments to municipalities were included, the total was $2.2 billion," it said.  

If the LCBO did go on strike, Beer Store outlets would not be affected.