GMB pulls out of trade mediation talks
Trade Union GMB has pulled out of the industry's crunch mediation meeting on Thursday, claiming it is a "sham" process.
The second meeting is due to take place on Thursday in a bid to avoid the need for a full Competition Commission investigation, following the damning Business and Enterprise Committee report.
Key stakeholders such as Punch Taverns, the British Beer and Pub Association, Fair Pint and Unite all took part in the first meeting, organised by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR). The GMB did not attend the first session.
However, the GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said his organisation would instead concentrate on organising regional meetings for licensees to bolster the campaign to break the beer tie.
"GMB will not be taking part in this sham mediation exercise," he said.
"It is part of a paper chase, to be conducted 'by suits', to hoodwink and sidetrack desperate publicans.
"For GMB the pubcos are part of the problem not the solution. They have spent years closing pubs and raking in profits when they should have been working with publicans. Now they want publicans to help them clean up their mess.
"The mediation's purpose is to head off the much needed Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigation called for by the Select Committee and promised by the Prime Minister at GMB Congress last month."
The GMB also vowed to press ahead with lobbying the European Union on the beer tie issue.
One trade observer said: "It seems strange the GMB would miss this chance to engage with the other key players.
"Fair Pint is expected to attend and it is closely linked to the GMB."
All other stakeholders are still expected to attend. The first session was described as "constructive" with all parties leaving content with the way initial talks had gone.
