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United Kingdom: Beer depot and delivery workers in Scotland are threatening a strike, which could halt Scottish Courage supplies to about 2,700 pubs north of the border in the run-up to Christmas and Hogmanay, The Guardian revealed on November 26. Some 79% of votes cast by T&G union members were in favour of strike action over a new pay deal for some workers in Scotland. A T&G spokesman said workers could halt distribution from depots in Glasgow, Livingston, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and Edinburgh from December 8.

Regional T&G organiser Pat Rafferty said: "To accept [the pay deal] is to allow the creation of second-class employees. Workers doing the same job, contributing the same benefit to the company ... yet one is paid thousands of pounds less than the other."

A division of London-listed brewer Scottish & Newcastle, Scottish Courage produces a quarter of all beer drunk in Scotland. It said dialogue with the union was continuing, but added: "If industrial action were to occur, we would implement contingency plans to maintain beer deliveries and safeguard our business and that of the thousands of bars in Scotland that trade with us."

It is only days after workers at Carlsberg's brewery in Northampton voted for a 16 day strike next month over proposals to introduce more flexible working practices. Carlsberg said any supply shortfall would be made up with imported lager.

This month, staff at Boddingtons brewery in Manchester went on a three-day strike in protest at plans by Belgian parent company InBev to close the site and move production of the "Cream of Manchester" out of the city.


28 November, 2004