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Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Jon Robinson

'Summer beer drought' warning issued as Budweiser, Stella Artois, Becks, Boddingtons and Export Pale Ale brewers vote for strike

Workers making Budweiser, Stella Artois, Becks, Boddingtons and Export Pale Ale have given their backing to full strike action in a dispute over pay.

Hundreds of employees are to down tools over what the GMB Union has described as a "real terms pay cut".

A total of 225 GMB members working at Budweiser's Samlesbury site in Lancashire will start an overtime time ban, not engage in training or complete face to face handovers from Wednesday, May 11.

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The union said that after "months of discussion", the world’s biggest brewer tabled a full and final offer of 3% increase for 2022 and 3% for 2023 with increases in overtime rates.

However, it said that with the cost-of-living crises and inflation at 9%, "the offer amounts to a massive pay cut in real terms".

GMB added its members also support full strike action, which would be the first time, with the dates still to be confirmed.

GMB organiser Stephen Boden said: "This industrial action is a result of Budweiser brewing groups management making a frankly insulting pay offer.

"They are choosing to ignore workers and put profit before people with this derisory pay offer.

"Workers are rightly angry and if this strike goes the distance Budweiser could face a summer beer drought.

"How can they expect hard working staff to accept a real terms pay cut?

"But it’s not too late for management to listen to workers and get back round the table with us to work out a fair deal."

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