USA: Miller Brewing Co. is telling United Auto Workers members to think union when they have a beer. The UAW endorses the pitch for the union-made beer. This week, Miller launched a regional ad campaign that quotes fictitious wording from a UAW labor contract that requires members to choose Miller Lite over other brands. The print ad debuted under the title, "UAW Article 56: Demand More From Your Beer."

It features the union logo, a worker in full welding gear and a large color photo of a Miller Lite bottle. The ad quotes the contract as saying a UAW member "shall support his/her union by buying a union-made product" and drink Miller Lite "with friends after work or on the weekend."

A UAW spokesman said he wants it known that there really is no Article 56. "This is an advertiser's idea for a humorous way to promote a UAW-made product," Roger Kerson told The Detroit News. "They contacted us and we agreed in the spirit of promoting a good, union-made beverage."

No money changed hands, Kerson said. Permission to use the UAW logo was granted as a courtesy to promote the handiwork of its members.

The UAW represents workers at Miller breweries in California, Wisconsin and Ohio. The union does not represent workers at other breweries in the United States. Philip Morris, which owned Miller, sold it in 2002 to South African Brewers PLC, which formed a new company called SABMiller PLC, based in London.

28 November, 2004