Brewdog plan to cut more jobs at their Scottish HQ, based on a leaked memo from their CEO.
Despite often promising a public listing Brewdog remain a private concern, effectively owned by private equity outfit TSG. Transparency is not required therefore, and the details of how many jobs are going is unknown.
Their recent 2024 accounts revealed that several hundred jobs were cut in the last year. Staff numbers have decreased from 2,618 in 2023 to 2,411 in 2024 with the wage bill reaching £76m.
Brewdog’s CEO said in the memo , using outdated management speak, that the plan was to ‘right size’ the Company, meaning job cuts. The modern usage is ‘transformation’.
It seems clear however that the cuts will be at the Ellon HQ and brewery.
Brewdog has consistently refused to recognise Unite which certainly has membership at the brewer. Usually announcements of job cuts carry a statement that there will be a search to see if any alternative jobs are available to avoid redundancy (an employment law requirement) and that there will be a period of consultation with those impacted (again a legal requirement). In fact the statement mentions neither.
Workers can challenge job cuts by suggesting how cost cuts can be achieved while jobs are maintained. Again this is a legal requirement but not one Brewdog are likely to pay much attention to unless individuals are union members (where they are entitled to representation, again by law).
Since it seems very unlikely that enhanced redundancy terms are of offer, statutory terms are likely to apply.
The maximum statutory redundancy payout is capped at £21,570 (plus notice) and people will need to have worked for at least 2 years to qualify. The maximum payout takes account of 20 years service only, although no one at Brewdog will have reached that or, likely, anywhere near it. In practice workers will get one week’s pay for each year worked. In other words for most impacted not very much.
Solidarity with Brewdog workers and a reminder of where the flagship craft brewery has ended up
https://www.acas.org.uk/your-rights-during-redundancy/redundancy-pay
My analysis of Brewdog, Punk IPA & market capitalism
https://www.culturematters.org.uk/the-story-of-punk-ipa-and-market-capitalism/
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