300 XXXX brewery workers face the sack

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE -- In a drastic rationalisation of its XXXX brewing operation, Castlemaine Perkins Ltd, owned by Lion Nathan, is pushing through a plan to retrench 300 workers.

Despite strong opposition from the workers at the company's Milton plant, management and representatives of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union were reported on August 7 to have reached agreement on a restructuring package in the State Industrial Commission.

The package was reported to contain significant redundancies and changes in work practices.

Earlier, the commission had ordered the company to withdraw its redundancy offer because it breached an enterprise agreement signed with the union in May, requiring a three-month negotiation period for lay-offs.

Outrage had greeted release of a secret strategy plan by the company to offer $5000 “recognition payments” to workers who remained after the sacking of 300 of their colleagues.

Any union-management agreement has still to be ratified by a meeting of brewery workers, due to be held on August 9.

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