Carlton and United Breweries maintenance workers, who had been told they would be rehired by a new contractor, will now return to work

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Unions have claimed victory in the bitter and long-running industrial dispute with Carlton and United Breweries, saying that workers – who were dubbed the CUB 55 – will return to work.

The dispute began when contracted maintenance workers at the Carlton and United Breweries Abbotsford plant in Melbourne were told they would be rehired by a new contractor.

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The move, the unions alleged, stripped workers’ conditions and cut their pay to just 50 cents above the award. They said the change constituted an effective sacking of 55 maintenance workers.

The treatment of the workers prompted a national campaign against the company, which involved a boycott of its beers, the picketing of the Abbotsford brewery, and thousands-strong rallies across the country.

Australian Unions tweeted on Wednesday morning claiming victory in the dispute, saying: “#CUB55 just won all their demands and will return to work! No matter how strong a multinational corp, we can fight them. And win.”

A statement from the Australian Council of Trade Unions said the sacked workers had been offered their jobs back, with fair pay and conditions.

The ACTU secretary, Dave Oliver, described Carlton’s decision as a “historic win” for the union movement.

“These 55 workers have been out on the street for nearly 180 days standing up for the rights of all workers, they will walk back into work on Monday morning with their jobs secure at their full pay and conditions,” Oliver said.

“We are glad to finally be able to end the boycott on CUB products, which are once again proudly union-made at Abbottsford.”

“We hope that the unqualified success of this campaign is a clear indication to all employers that sham contracting and abuse of the labour hire system will not be tolerated.”

One of the 55 workers, Alan Dinon, told Guardian Australia it was a “very sweet day and one to savour”.

To be on a picket for six months and be proven right is just fantastic Alan Dinon, one of the CUB 55

Dinon and other workers were at the Electrical Trades Union’s Melbourne office celebrating on Wednesday.

“[We’re] just euphoric, it’s been a real act of faith, you know, we believed what we offered to the business was real and tangible, and to be on a picket for six months and be proven right is just fantastic,” Dinon said.

“I knew it would happen, we just had to stay solid, and we did.”

Dinon, 67, is retiring, but had campaigned to secure a job for one of his apprentices, who would now be able to take his place.



He said the CUB 55 were keenly aware that their fight had broader implications for workers’ rights in Australia.

“In fact, that was probably one of the reasons we carried on the picket,” he said.

“If one of the biggest companies in Australia could do it and do it in such a way, what would stop a smaller business doing it?”

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CUB has previously denied any allegation that it sacked 55 workers. It said the former contractor gave six months’ notice before the contract was ended and then paid redundancies to workers.



The company claimed the new roles would have been paid $70,000 and $120,000, above award rates.

A joint statement from CUB, the Electrical Trades and Australian Manufacturing Workers unions said they had agreed to productivity and efficiency improvements at the brewery.

“CUB and the unions have mapped out a better approach based on mutual respect, productivity, and a shared passion to make the best beers with the best skilled workers,” the statement said.

“The ETU and the AMWU have called for an immediate end of the ongoing boycott and are encouraging their supporters to return to drinking the full range of CUB beers and ciders.

“All parties are pleased to resolve this dispute and to refocus their attention on working together to brew the best beers in Victoria.”