April 15, 1977

DOZENS of pubs in the Redditch area are having their draft beer supply rationed because of a series of 24-hour strikes by draymen at M&B's Birmingham brewery.

The draymen of the firm's cask beer field have struck three times in recent weeks because of a dispute over a kegging process.

The men - all members of the Trade and General Workers Union - want £5-a-week more because they claim they now have to do more work.

Says spokesman Ken Wortlelock, the firm's public relations officer: "The draymen are now back to work but they are working to rule.

"We are now three days behind delivery schedule and we are having to ration pubs to a proportion of their normal deliveries.

"However we are managing to deliver bottled beers as normal because the men who handle bottles are not in dispute."

Meanwhile, many M&B pubs in Redditch have no draft beer left for sale and are unsure when more supplies will arrive.