E-Malt.com News article: China: Carlsberg says strike at Chongqing Brewery over

A strike at a major plant of China's Chongqing Brewery Co Ltd has ended, Carlsberg spokesman Jens Bekke was quoted as saying by Reuters on June, 18.

The Danish brewing giant blamed a lack of information to workers about plans to raise its stake in the Chinese firm. The strike ‘was due to a lack of communication’, Carlsberg said.

Bekke said that the employees had not been adequately informed about a deal through which Carlsberg raised its stake in Chongqing Brewery to nearly 30 percent and what it would mean for the workers.

"There was not good enough communication to the employees about the agreement," he said.

"Yesterday there were some meetings, and they were informed, and now they have gone back to work."

It was reported previously by the local media that more than 500 employees of Chongqing Brewery held a strike on June, 17 to oppose the firm's decision to sell its stakes to Carlsberg.

The employees are angry about not being informed of the company's decision. If a foreign company becomes the controller of the firm, their destinies then will be uncertain, an employee who participated in the strike said.

Another employee said they fear that Carlsberg will cut personnel and hope that the company informs them of any negotiations as well as protection for employees' rights.

Carlsberg said it would raise its stake in the company to 29.71 percent from the current 17.46 percent for about 2.1 billion crowns ($380 million) to further its Asian expansion.


18 June, 2010