Supplies of beer poised perilously

Press, 11 April 1979, Page 1

Supplies of beer poised perilously

Draught beer supplies will probably last over the Easter week-end in some Christchurch hotels, but in others drinkers may be out of luck before the week-end starts because of a strike by brewery workers.

Hotels in the Ballins group have nearly all run out of draught beer for flagon sales, and most will run out of draught beer for bar sales by the beginning of the week-end, according to the manager of the Ballins hotel division (Mr A. L. Reddiford). Other hotels have halted flagon sales in a bid to ensure full supplies of draught in bars during the week-end. Most have said that it will be touch and go whether bar supplies of draught last until Tuesday.

A minoritv of hotels, however, report no problem and expect to have adequate supplies for the entire Easter break. A strike by boiler attendants employed by breweries has caused the shortage. Other brewery workers have also gone on strike, or been suspended. The boiler attendants agreed yesterday to allow their dispute to go to arbitration, but they will not return to work until members of the Brewery Workers’ Union do, possibly next Tuesday. Soft-drink workers in Canterbury began a threeday strike yesterday, but the strike will not stop distribution of soft drinks, according to an industry spokesman. The soft-drink workers are on strike in sympathy with suspended brewery workers, who are members of the same union.

Workers at Associated Bottlers Company, Ltd, are also on strike, but a company spokesman said that the effect was not serious because the breweries did not need the bottles while they were not producing.

Mauri DYC Foods’ production has started winding down in preparation for a three-day stoppage next week by maltsters. The maltsters, who are also in the Brewery Workers’ Union, gave notice yesterday of a strike from Tuesday to Thursday next week. Workers at the Canterbury New Zealand Malting Company will also strike for three days next week. The company supplies malted barley to breweries.

Greymouth hotels began running out of draught beer yesterday as the strike by brewery workers continued, says the Greymouth reporter of “The Press.”

One hotel ran out by lunch-time yesterday, and another will probably be "dry” later today.

Sixteen men are on strike at the Greymouth plant of Dominion Breweries (West Coast) Ltd. The manager of the plant (Mr T. R. Maguigan). said that other staff were on truck maintenance and general cleaning.

“We are not contemplating suspending other staff at this stage, but we cannot go on forever,” Mr Maguigan said.

The Press Association reports that a meeting on Monday of the Engine Drivers’ Union, to which the boiler attendants belong and brewery officials before the Industrial Conciliator, Mr F. M. Gerbic, forged a proposal to end the boiler attendants’ 10-day strike. Mr G. H. Andersen, the national secretary of the Engine Drivers’ Union, said yesterday: “We decided at a vote of members, with the approval of the national executive, to go to arbitration next week, again before Mr Gerbic.”

“We also agreed to go back to work, but will not do so until the Brewery Workers’ Union members do so,” he said.