I'm dreaming of a dry Christmas

BETTER stock up on lager now if you want to avoid being left high and dry at Christmas.

Production workers at lager giant Carlsberg are set to stage a 16-day strike in a row over pay which union leaders claimed today would hit supplies in the run-up to Christmas.

Members of the Transport and General Workers' Union at the company's brewery in Northampton will walk out from 1 December and could take further industrial action in the New Year.

The strike by up to 180 workers follows a vote in favour of action after the failure of talks to resolve a dispute over pay and restructuring.

Jackie Williams, the union's regional organiser, said the company was trying to impose a pay freeze on the workers which was 'simply unacceptable'.

She added that similar restructuring at Carlsberg's brewery in Leeds had only increased pay for half the workers.

'A 16-day strike shows our people are determined to fight back. They have seen the future as shown by the Leeds brewery and refused to follow it.'

The union said it would consider calling a further 16-day strike in early January if the dispute is not resolved.

Carlsberg announced plans to move to a multi-skilled and flexible workforce earlier this year. The union, however, claims that there has been 'no real engagement' with management over the issue and that for many of the 180 staff affected, the regrading that goes with the restructuring amounts to a pay freeze.

The TGWU's Jackie Williams added: 'Our people have seen what has happened with restructuring in the Leeds brewery where only half the workforce has been put onto the higher paid technician grade after two years. We have said to the company that we do not want that to happen in Northampton.'

The Northampton brewery makes a variety of lager brands in keg, cans and bottles.

Carlsberg said its package of new measures would include an increase in the level of flexible working and 'multi-skilling', to be supported by a significant investment in training and development. It added that the union was rejecting an opportunity for most employees to earn up to an additional 20% increase in earnings within the next three years.

'The vast majority of employees stand to make significant financial gains by adopting our proposals, as well as receiving first rate training and real opportunities for personal development,' said Ian Deninson, human resources director.

The company also added that beer supplies in the run-up to Christmas would not be disrupted.