Workers walk off job at XXXX Brewery

XXXX Brewery bosses have accused union leaders who led about 45 workers in an hourlong strike yesterday of turning their back on negotiations over pay and conditions.

Brewery director Irene Bell said the beer maker was prepared to discuss the United Voice Queensland Union’s grievances over job security, however union leaders had failed to show up.

“We are at the table ready to negotiate, but it’s the union that’s missing,” she said.

“We’ve tried to go to conciliation but the union bailed out.

About 45 United Voice members marched off the job at 11am yesterday and joined a rally that was beefed up with unionists from the militant CFMEU outside the Milton brewery.

United Voice spokesman Damien Davie accused brewery managers of “holding a gun to people’s heads” in the negotiations and of wanting to casualise the workforce.

“Until XXXX comes to the bargaining table and gets serious about their workers, we will have no choice but to continue rolling strikes,” he said.

Yesterday’s strike had no impact on production as only packaging line workers walked off.

No further strikes or rallies have been planned, but the union pledged more in the future.

XXXX management hit out at union scaremongering during the dispute as the brewery had been forced to repeatedly deny claims it was about to close and that Queensland’s beer supply would be affected.