By Robert Mackenzie

Published June 6 2017

Members from Ontario Public SectorEmployees Union (OPSEU) Local 379 were picketing outside ofHaliburton's LCBO Wednesday afternoon in order to raise awareness ofthe union's current contract negotiations.

Local 379 vice president Eileen Allensaid picketers were protesting employees having to work alone instores splitting shifts between casual workers and the lack offull-time work.

“We want to keep good jobs in ourcommunities” said Allen who's worked at the Bridgeworth LCBO for27 years and is a casual employee. “Full-time jobs are important tosmall towns.”

Local 379 president Trish Parcells saidthat stores will often give two four-hour shifts to casual workersinstead of giving one shift to a full-time worker. “Casuals have toget 1300 hours in order to get benefits and they're not gettingbenefits” she added.

This is the latest in a series ofprotests from OPSEU locals around Ontario. Earlier Wednesday theunion filed a no-board report to Ontario's Ministry of Labour. Oncethe report is issued if the two sides can't come to a bargainingagreement in the next 17 days employees can legally strike or can belocked out by their employer. In April 93 per cent of LCBO workersvoted in favour of a strike.