GMB to ballot publicans over beer-tie action

The GMB union is to start balloting publicans over potential industrial action against the major pubcos within the next seven to 10 days.

National convenor Paul Maloney told Caterer that the union will be sending out 32,000 letters this morning to pub company tenants and other tenants linked to the companies, in a bid to garner the maximum amount of support for any action.

He claimed that the union already had 3,000 publican members, following a move bringing the Pub Revolution group into its ranks.

"We already have 3,000 members signed up as of this morning," Maloney said yesterday.

"And we hope to have in excess of 5,000 by the time we go to ballot. I am not pessimistic about that, I am taking the lower view on it. Once we feel that we have reached a point where the number of people joining up is starting to slow down then we will run the ballot, which is going to be within the next seven to 10 days," he said.

If its members vote in favour of industrial action, the union is proposing to switch off the Brulines system, which measures the amount of beer flowing through the beer lines of all pubs belonging to the major pubcos.

Brulines was unavailable for comment.


GMB Pubco Campaign >>

GMB proposes beer-tie revolt among tenant landlords >>

Beer tie row rumbles on >>

Rebel publicans threaten beer and rent strike >>


Neil Gerrard

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