Beer drinkers to face ‘short measures’?

Beer drinker’s favourite ales could be in short supply after Greene King workers voted for strike action following a ‘paltry’ pay offer by the brewery, Unite said on Monday (January 13).

 

Unite members, including draymen, brewery production staff and warehouse workers, voted strongly in favour of strike action after years of annual two per cent pay rises that fail to reflect the rising cost of living.

 

The union has more than 160 members in Greene King’s brewing and brands department, with the membership split between Bury St Edmunds, the firm’s Suffolk headquarters, and distribution centres in Abingdon, Oxfordshire and Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.

 

The ballot comes after the £4.6bn takeover of Greene King, which has 3,000 pubs, by CK Asset Holdings in August.

 

“Despite statements from Greene King’s managing director Matt Starbuck that the brewery was ready to find a way to resolve this dispute, Unite has heard nothing since this ballot was announced,” said Unite regional officer Mark Jaina.

 

“We hope that now Greene King’s bosses know our members are serious about receiving a reasonable pay rise, they will be ready to make a sensible offer before business is disrupted.

 

“The leadership of CK Asset Holdings can’t be happy with the fact that there is the possibility of loyal Greene King beer drinkers making do with short measures because of strikes,” he added.

 

“Our members do not want to take industrial action, but they have been left with no choice because of the actions of Greene King’s management.

 

“The fact is that another two per cent pay rise will not cut it when the cost of living is soaring and this dispute will not be settled until workers receive a reasonable increase to their wages.”