Greene King brewery staff to strike over pay

Some 188 staff working for brewery Greene King have voted to strike from next month in a row over pay.

The union Unite said members based in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, Eastwood in Nottinghamshire and Abingdon in Oxfordshire would walk out for five days from Monday, 5 December.

The workers brew and distribute the company's products including IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale.

Greene King said it was "disappointed" its pay offer had been rejected.

Unite said members voted for strike action after Greene King offered them a 3% pay rise and a one-off payment of £650, which it described as a substantial real-terms wage cut because of inflation.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Greene King's owners are incredibly wealthy; the failure to offer workers a decent pay rise is all about greed and not about need."

In a statement, Greene King said: "We are disappointed that the union has encouraged its members to reject our pay offer, as well as a number of other benefits, and pursue this course of action.

"Our pay rise offer is fair and consistent across the business, especially given the challenging wider economic environment."

The business said it had "full contingency plans in place to minimise disruption" in the lead-up to Christmas.