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John Coones retires as president of Ontario liquor workers

Locked horns with Premiers Mike Harris and Dalton McGuinty on privatization of LCBO

Toronto (8 Feb. 2007) John Coones has retired after 17 years as head of the Ontario liquor store workers' union. His career included a memorable campaign to prevent the former Mike Harris Tory government from privatizing the province's hugely profitable Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO).

The campaign was renewed during the last round of bargaining with the government of Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty, again because of the lingering threat of privatization.

Coones was president of the the Ontario Liquor Boards Employees Union (OLBEU/NUPGE) from 1990 until 2005. He also served as the first chair of the Liquor Board Employees Division (LBED) of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE). OLBEU merged with OPSEU in 2005. His retirement took effect at the end of January.

“John’s tireless work, commitment and dedication on behalf of thousands of LCBO employees will not soon be forgotten,” says OPSEU president Leah Casselman.

“John will be remembered as the labour figure in Ontario who stared down Mike Harris and his scheme to privatize our system of public liquor stores.”

Tribute from Clancy and Brown

National Union President James Clancy joined Casselman in congratulating Coones on his contribution to public sector workers and the citizens of Ontario.

"John showed us by example that public sector workers can use their voice effectively to change public policy," Clancy said.

"He took on the most anti-public sector government in memory when he stood up to Mike Harris and led the fight against privatizing the LCBO. He also challenged the McGuinty government when it was also tempted to sell off the most profitable operation that Ontario taxpayers own."

"The victory that John and LCBO workers won was significant for all citizens of Ontario," adds Larry Brown, NUPGE's national secretary-treasurer.

"They showed it is possible to defend the interests of public sector workers, and ordinary taxpayers, against even the most excessive of governments. Along with James and Leah, I congratulate John on his long and honourable career on behalf of public sector workers and wish him the very best in retirement."

Special campaign

When asked to single out one highlight of his long leadership tenure, Coones does not hesitate. "Our campaign against privatization of the LCBO was very special," he says. "At first, even most of our own members said it couldn’t be done. They said 'Harris never backs down from anything.’"

The campaign tapped into a deep public mood of support for the LCBO, the largest and most profitable publicly-owned liquor agency in the world. Not only did Harris back down, so did the McGuinty government, which also looked seriously at privatizing the LCBO.

Coones says he remains concerned that McGuinty, while ruling out direct privatization, has allowed LCBO agency stores (run by private operators and staffed by low-wage employees) to grow in numbers since coming to power. “It’s backdoor privatization and we have to be ready to stop it, too,” he says.

Coones joined the LCBO on May 20, 1975, and quickly became involved with OLBEU. He served six years as a union representative for Zone 9 west of Yonge Street in Toronto, and followed that with two three-year terms as first vice-president of the union. He became OLBEU president on Jan. 1, 1990. NUPGE