E-Malt.com News article: USA: Workers at Latrobe Brewing Co. voted yes to a layoff package

A big vote was held for Latrobe Brewing Union workers on July 16, The Pittsburgh Channel reported July 16. The workers voted yes to a layoff package that should hold them over until someone buys the Rolling Rock plant.

With the vote, the workers officially cut ties with the former parent company of Rolling Rock beer.

All of the workers in attendance said they were devastated when Anheuser Busch bought the Rolling Rock label and the recipe. To make matters worse for the people, the beer giant decided not to use the Latrobe facility.

By law, the parent company of Rolling Rock, InBev, offered the workers a package based on the affects of laying everyone off.

"It's a week for every year you had service," said Joe Mulheren, a union official. "Like, if I had 15 years, I get 15 weeks."

"They have to make arrangements to help with insurance or training," said Ed Dobies.

While there's little hope that Rolling Rock would continue in Latrobe, workers said City Brewing, of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, wants to buy the plant and make beer and energy drinks.

"I think they are going to be a good company to work for from what I've seen, talked to some of them," said Nick Carota. "They seem to be a progressive kind of company that seems to be more worried about their employees."

That's important to a lot of workers, who said they felt abandoned by InBev. Within the next week, officials would like to have a contract that their members can vote on.


18 July, 2006