The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) is facing strike action by workers on 5 July if no deal is struck over working conditions following a union vote for industrial action.

LCBO employees are demanding an expansion of opening hours and LCBO’s warehousing, as well as a move away from a “70% casual workforce” to permanent part-time and full-time positions at the company.

Earlier this month, a vote of workers affiliated with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) saw 86% of members turn out and 97% back action. The union has talks set with the LCBO on 1 July. If no deal is struck, workers are set to initiate industrial action at 12:01 am on 5 July.

“We envision a future where the LCBO grows with Ontario,” OPSEU president JP Hornick said.

“We could improve convenience by expanding public LCBO retail locations and hours. That would not only grow the LCBO’s revenues that pay for our health care and education but also create good jobs in communities across our province.”

The LCBO employees are looking for the state-controlled alcohol supplier to improve its operations, such as increasing its logistics and e-commerce capacity.

“We don’t have to let Doug Ford [Ontario Premier] hand the alcohol market over to big box grocers and convenience chains like Loblaws and Circle K. We’ve had enough price gouging from them already on food and necessities – we don’t need the price of booze to go up too,” Hornick said.

Canada has 13 authorities across its ten provinces and three territories tasked with regulating alcohol sales and distribution, of which LCBO is one.

Last month, the LCBO hit back at claims from a major Canadian spirits industry trade body that it was “squeezing suppliers” for profit.

Spirits Canada, an industry association with Diageo and Brown-Forman among its members, said LCBO was “abusing” its “market dominance” after distillers were hit with a “retroactive tax bill”.