New Zealand: Strike at DB Breweries
At New Zealand’s DB Breweries around 170 workers left the job for 24 hours on August 25 protesting over the company's refusal to give them what they say is a fair pay rise, according to New Zealand Herald.
Andrew Little, Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union national secretary stated that workers were seeking a pay rise in line with the going rate of 5 per cent, and wanted it to apply to all wages and conditions. "Last week the company told the public that it had done so well over the past three years that it was celebrating by shouting every New Zealander a free beer, but it is refusing to share the good times with its own workers."
DB Breweries offered a 4 % pay rise. But DB managing director Brian Blake said their offer was 1 % above inflation, and staff were on target for a 10 % performance-related, lump-sum bonus.
"Unfortunately, the union are failing to recognise that DB is considered an excellent employer by our staff and that a strike may put reaching our target and the bonus at risk. Our 10 per cent performance-related bonus is significantly greater than the value of the extra 1 per cent the union is seeking The company shouts them free beers too - everyone gets a beer allowance. Plus in the first week of October all our staff will be shouted dinner to celebrate our 75th year." He added that employees get as well life and health insurance, superannuation and an education centre at headquarters.
The strike takes place in Auckland’s Otahuhu brewery , at Tui brewery in Mangatainoka an on the West Coast at Monteith's and Timaru brewery.
Kingway’s shares dropt nearly 8 percent on Wednesday after the company said it had decided not to continue talks with Heineken NV possibly increasing its stake in the Chinese beer maker.
Heineken's joint venture with Singapore's Asia-Pacific Breweries Ltd. Kingway's parent have been in talks for months about possibly lifting its stake in the Chinese firm from the current 21.44 %. The Chinese brewer said it would not hold talks with other foreign breweries until the end of 2006 since it holds a three-year exclusive agreement with Heineken brewery.
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