Workers at BrewDog are to protest at “being left in the dark” over the proposed sale of the business.
A demonstration organised by Unite will take place outside the BrewDog bar in Aberdeen city centre on Wednesday (25 February).
Staff at BrewDog were frustrated by “decisions taken at the top of the business” that had led to BrewDog abandoning its commitment to the real living wage and closing underperforming bars in its estate, Unite said.
“This sale is the result of years of catastrophic mismanagement – prioritising private equity returns over workers and a sustainable business,” Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said. “You cannot talk about restructuring without recognising the real people whose rent, food bills and childcare depend on these jobs.”
Bryan Simpson, Unite Hospitality national lead, said BrewDog was set to be “auctioned to the highest bidder while workers and small investors are left to pick up the pieces”.
“We demand clarity on job security and what protections will be put in place for workers and we will use every industrial and legal lever available to defend our members and secure what they are owed,” he added.
No clarity
Dennis Ellis, an Aberdeen-based BrewDog worker, said staff had been told about the potential sale of the business “at the same time as the press”.
“Workers across BrewDog have been left in the dark about what is happening,” he said. “We … have had one meeting with the CEO in which he said ‘there will be two weeks of uncertainty’ with no clarity about what happens thereafter.”
“This sale process – and the distinct lack of consultation from the company – simply deepens the insecurity workers have been living with.”
BrewDog was put up for sale by restructuring firm AlixPartners earlier this month, following five years of consecutive losses.
AlixPartners is running an accelerated sales process for the Scottish beer company, which is likely to be executed by an administrator.
Among those rumoured to be interested in buying all or parts of the business are BrewDog co-founder and CEO James Watt.
Watt has amassed private equity backing for a bid that could see BrewDog’s legion of retail investors – known as equity punks – retain their shares in the company, according to The Sunday Times.
BrewDog said staff were informed of AlixPartners’ appointment the day after reports first surfaced in the press.
It said employees had not faced cuts to their contracted hours, that its bars and breweries continued to operate as normal and that the ongoing sale process was designed to protect jobs at the business.
The supplier declined to comment further.
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