MAROON BREW BLUE
Union and management clash over beer’s future
THE thought of it was too much to bear for one-eyed Queensland supporters like rugby league legend John Sattler. The state beer Fourex was shutting down its historic Brisbane brewery and shifting production interstate, according to the United Voice union. How would Maroons fans refresh themselves come Origin 3 tomorrow? “It would be a pity if that happens because it’s been the footy official beer for as long as I can remember,” said Sattler. “It’s been a great beer and a great company.” Fourex quickly rejected the scenario as a scare campaign by the union.
A BITTER union stoush that led to claims Queensland’s famed XXXX Brewery would close its doors has been slammed as false by the brewery’s operators.
But the United Voice union maintains management threatened to turn off the taps in the same way Lion closed Canning Vale’s WA Swan Brewery in 2012.
Labelling the claims as “false”, XXXX Brewery director Irene Bell said Queenslanders should be “outraged” the union would make up the allegations “about our iconic brewery”.
Ms Bell said the company was in the process of hiring five more permanent employees to bolster the 144-strong workforce.
“There are no job losses or changes,” Ms Bell said. “In fact, there will be pay offers on the table – on top of the best pay and work conditions in brewing in Queensland.”
Ms Bell was in charge of the Swan Brewery when it was shut down.
The accusations, which led to management calling an emergency meeting with staff yesterday, came to a head after negotiations over an enterprise bargaining agreement soured.
Lion, as owner of XXXX Brewery, is seeking to allow labour hire workers to be employed to fill unplanned leave vacancies that saw the brewery shut down production on 23 days last year.
Brewed under the XXXX banner since 1924, the iconic brewery was sold to Alan Bond in 1985, two years after he won the America’s Cup. Five years later, it was sold to Lion Nathan, which was bought by Japanese brewing giant Kirin in 2009.
The brewery, sitting on prime real estate in Milton for the past 120 years, according to Brisbane City Council’s heritage register, has become synonymous with Queensland’s cultural identity.
But now United Voice coordinator Damien Davie said a secret source inside the XXXX Brewery had confirmed management had plans to close the heritage-listed masonry building.
“For some time now, they’ve been telling us that if they don’t get some concessions in the way the labour’s structured there they’d be moving production elsewhere, which they’ve gradually done,” Mr Davie said.
“Production at the site has reduced over time.”