Private sector union criticizes Ford plan to pull Crown Royal from LCBO

The United Food and Commercial Workers union is criticizing Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to remove Crown Royal whisky from LCBO shelves next month.

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The United Food and Commercial Workers union is criticizing Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s decision to remove Crown Royal whisky from LCBO shelves next month, saying the move threatens Canadian union jobs and amounts to an ineffective boycott.

Ford confirmed Monday that Crown Royal will be pulled from LCBO stores after production winds down at the brand’s Amherstburg, Ont., bottling plant, which is set to close next month.

“Oh, 100 per cent,” Ford said when asked whether he would follow through on removing the brand. “As soon as they close up, you better stock up.”

Ford accused the company of planning to shift production out of Ontario and said he wanted to send a message to businesses that rely on the province as a major customer.

“It’s not going to be produced in Ontario anymore,” Ford said. “They’re closing the plant after God knows decades and generations of work… The message to everyone else is: don’t try to hurt Ontario, especially for your number one customer. You’ll be held accountable.”

Ford said he believes production will ultimately move to the United States, despite assurances from the company.

“Mark my words, it’s going to Alabama,” he said, adding that previous investment commitments in Ontario had not materialized.

UFCW Canada responded Tuesday, saying the premier’s move extends beyond the Amherstburg closure and risks harming workers in other parts of the country. The union said Crown Royal bottles sold in Canada continue to be produced by union members at distilleries in Gimli, Man., and Valleyfield, Que.

The union said it stands in solidarity with workers at the Amherstburg facility, which is owned by Diageo, the U.K.-based spirits company behind Crown Royal. Diageo has cited ongoing U.S. tariffs as a factor in its decision to close the plant.

However, UFCW said removing Crown Royal from LCBO shelves directly targets hundreds of other Canadian workers whose jobs are tied to the brand.

“Doug Ford’s stunts, from pouring out bottles of Crown Royal to now pulling Crown Royal from the LCBO shelves, are directly attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of Canadian workers,” the union said in a statement.

UFCW Canada National President Barry Sawyer accused Ford of undermining unionized workers.

“‘Elbows up’ doesn’t just mean ‘elbows up for Ontario’; it means all Canadian workers need to stand together in solidarity,” Sawyer said.

UFCW Canada is the country’s leading union for retail and food workers, representing more than 250,000 workers nationwide.