Media Advisory - OPSEU LCBO members to hold "Shop LCBO" information picket in Bridgenorth on Friday

BRIDGENORTH, ON, Oct. 17, 2019 /CNW/ - LCBO workers will be holding a "Shop LCBO" information picket outside the LCBO store in Bridgenorth on Friday to remind government and the public of the dangers of privatizing alcohol sales.

"We all lose when the government allows grocery stores, convenience stores, and 'LCBO Convenience Outlets' to sell alcohol," said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "The private owners of these stores skim off profits that should go to our schools, hospitals, and highways.

"And since they're driven first by profits, can we really trust private owners to keep beer, wine, and booze out of the hands of kids and people who abuse alcohol?"

The OPSEU members staging the information picket will be encouraging members of the public to buy their alcohol from publicly owned and managed LCBO stores.

The LCBO has a long, successful history of selling alcohol responsibly while returning billions in profits to public coffers. Recent public opinion research shows that Ontarians are 12 times more likely to say the LCBO does a better job than private retailers at keeping alcohol out of the hands of kids.

By visiting www.keepitpublic.ca, people can send an email to their MPP and Premier Doug Ford urging them to keep the LCBO public.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)