Beer tie could be subject of strike

Date: 30th November 2009

A trade union is to continue its campaign against pub ties, with national strike action a possibility for the future.

GMB is to contact publicans to canvas their opinion on the strikes due to the perceived high cost of the tenanted companies, the Daily Mail reported.

The move follows complaints that tied pubs are often forced to charge more for drinks than their rivals, increasing their likelihood of going out of business.

This is because part of the deal signed up to by the tenants involves paying higher than market price for the goods.

Paul Maloney, GMB national officer, told the newspaper: "The British public is being ripped off and the British pub trade is being driven to the wall.

"We are balloting for mass action that will see pubs switching off equipment up and down the country. The price of a pint of beer would then come down in every pub in every town."

The Office of Fair Trading recently investigated tied pubs and found that they did not restrict market competition.

Around 37,000 publicans are to be contacted by GMB about the strike this week.

Posted by Anthony Burns