The GMB union has welcomed this morning's Government announcement that it would push pub companies to relax the beer tie, but warned that it was keeping a "watching brief".
The union has been on a tour of the country over the past several weeks to garner support for potential industrial action over the tie - claiming that it cost tied licensees £12,000 a year more to buy their beer.
Commenting on the Government's announcement this morning, GMB national organiser Paul Maloney said: "This is very welcome and we hope it will be seen through to allow tenants to make a living, and that the public are going to be treated with respect.
"My fear though is that pub companies will now come up with another stunt and that they will be even more aggressive with tenants in the interim before these measures are introduced.
"We will keep a watching brief."
Meanwhile Paul Kenny, GMB general secretary, called for a 'root and branch' review of pub ownership. He said: “Pub licensees need help right now to stop pubs going bust. Any support like this for licensees is really important. The position is desperate for many publicans.
"Not until there is a root and branch change in the structure of ownership will licensees get a fair deal and customers get reasonable prices. The relationship and control from pubco to customers is Dickensian and unfair to both licensees and customers alike."
GMB hits back at BBPA over beer-tie contracts >>
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By Neil Gerrard
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