Workers Beer Company - Glastonbury

[WBC-WORKER]

Looks like being thrown off site now is more commonplace, whereas you expressed disbelief when I said it happened 2 years ago, and you claimed that people were just asked to move to ticket-holder areas. What kind of offences now warrant being ejected, out of interest?

You cant compare the two - the claim two years ago was over a person who undercharged a Customer due to the bar not having any change and I still cant say if that happened due to not having all the facts and certainly none of the Senior Managers knew anything about it as I did ask.

The cases I mentioned in my recent post is very clear cut as they were either caught stealing money or passing over free drinks { which is viewed as the same thing } - this is all done after verifying there is a fiddle taking place so its not just one person's word against another.

As to being ejected a few years ago that was not very common but the Council does appear to be more strict over this and its now built into the volunteer contract which was first introduced in 2010 and every volunteer has to sign this as they enter the campsite so its all spelled out.

The issue is more complicated if some of their Team was not involved in which case its likely the whole Team would be suspended for a period of time but they would not be ejected from the event but the person caught stealing would be asked to leave.

While theft does go on its not a huge problem and is well below industry levels so its still big news if someone is ejected.

----------

By the way at the WBC AGM in April 2010 to which every Official Organiser was asked to attend no one brought up any issue over a person or persons being ejected at Glastonbury for rounding down change and I can assure you if that had happened to my Team I would have been the first to bring this up so I don't think it was as clear cut as first claimed.

People who get caught stealing or handing out free drinks are unlikely to admit this to a stranger and they may have put their own spin on the story.

 

[Garcia Lorca]

On the whole this year (so far), our team are happy with the way things have been working with the WBC, sure there have been some things we could have a little pick at, but on the whole, its all been good.

Although not upto some of the standards of the fabulous food onsite, there has been a massive improvement in the catering, this was my main complaint in 2009 and it has now improved into a semi-nourishable standard decent breakfast and dinner. In 2009 i ended up seriously out of pocket at glastonbury as i couldnt eat the food from our canteen, this year.. i didnt have to eat on site at all.

Things could have went smoother with our transport.. driver getting lost! (i dont know how, and he wouldnt listen to the directions when we told him) and then coach packing it in.. fortunately we were at sheptons mallet by that point, so it was just a case of getting a mini bus off site to do shuttle runs... tho i must learn that its not a good idea to get pissed before the tent goes up. a few of us ended up getting into our brothers cider for several hours in sheptons, by the time we got on site (last shuttle run), we were so drunk, it was dark and had real difficulty in getting our tents up still it was an adventure. I wouldnt say the WBC at fault tho, not much control they could have over that!
oh and on the way back up the road, at our bus changeover (we had to swap coaches half way..) some of our teams tents went missing!.

Shifts, as wbc-worker says, you take the good with the bad and you dont have a choice. our shifts were not too bad for glasto, working no later than midnight, but with the weather, it put you off doing the trek to the late night area if you finish at midnight, and didnt want to confront a queue. still we had great shifts wed - fri. had a free run of the festival til 6pm saturday! so no complaints.
feedback i have had from my team at latitude is that it was all good as well, as mentioned above, shifts balance out but you cant goto the festivals with a plan of who you want to see, it wont work like that.

the beer vouchers are an issue, not so much for us at glasto this year as we worked 5 mins from bread and roses were you could exchange. but on the first night they insisted that we had to have the tuborg bottles that had to be decanted into cups, but by the time the staff decanted them, fizzed them up, we had half a pint. fuck that after working a shift, wouldnt even get a decent drink.. we moaned heavily about this.. next night, it was pints that were given out. still the voucher scheme is not ideal for staff, it could mean a serious trek for some to use the voucher or have to use it on the campsite, away from the action.

talking of the campsite, how bad was the music in our campsite bar? we are at glastonbury festival, every top artist, dj etc in the world is there, and we get (decent bloke, but geeez) your stereotypical wedding/birthday/function dj in our tent... i came back to have a pint to chill before getting some shut eye and had to endure a YMCA karaoke, the slosh,"i got the key.. i got the secret" 90s session, etc etc etc.. all with the dj speaking between tunes.. it was bad! and that was every single night! and you had to work in that environment brian! it did make us really hold off going back to our campsite!

Only leeds to go for us now, has been a good year with the wbc. i just wish they would provide transport from scotland to some other events rather than just glastonbury and it would all be absolutely ideal for us. ie, why not run a bus from glasgow to leeds? when transport is always provided for other events from london. theres enough of us going down for leeds as far as i can make out. i understand its not feasible for other festivals as there aint enough, but leeds should get scottish transport.

aye, so good year from us, the caterings improved, we got all our shifts in advance (a real bonus to enable planning at festivals), we got transport to glastonbury, dont pay deposits for festivals, met some good people, raised funds for our organisation, no real issues at all. looking fwd to 2012 ... more so 2013 when glasto is back on tho.

 

[TopCat]

Giving away free drinks is not the same as nicking the cash. The profit motivated modern day Glasto infests everything with it's money money money ethos...

 

[yardbird]

When did the WBC start up and was it festies straight away?
I worked Reading from the very beginning* and we used to run the bars ourselves (as we also did we did with the security).
I think it was when Vince and Melvin joined up with the Pendletons that the WBC started there, would this be correct?

*Worked the Nat jazz Festivals since Windsor 196?

I ask out of interest as I'm sort of writing my memoirs and festivals are involved.
Thanks for any memory jogging thoughts.
yardie

 

[WBC-WORKER]

Giving away free drinks is not the same as nicking the cash. The profit motivated modern day Glasto infests everything with it's money money money ethos...

We don't know how many drinks were involved but lets say its £10 worth - if every volunteer was doing the same then the WBC would soon go bust and then there would be no money going to any good causes - its not coming out of GFL its stealing direct from every other volunteer who is not stealing.

There is no difference between stealing £10 in cash and £10 of drinks as it all has to be accounted for.

Lucky enough most volunteers don't steal.

The Contract that everyone has to sign makes it very clear that handing out free drinks to friends is stealing so no one can claim they were not warned.

Years ago it was only the Organiser who was asked to sign this but they were told to make certain that all their recruits understood the rules.

When did the WBC start up and was it festies straight away?
I worked Reading from the very beginning* and we used to run the bars ourselves (as we also did we did with the security).
I think it was when Vince and Melvin joined up with the Pendletons that the WBC started there, would this be correct?

*Worked the Nat jazz Festivals since Windsor 196?

I ask out of interest as I'm sort of writing my memoirs and festivals are involved.
Thanks for any memory jogging thoughts.
yardie

Workers Beer Company was formed in 1985/86 but initial it was small events and then it spread out into other areas - Not sure when the contract was first signed for Reading but its easily the early 90's which is around the same time that Vince was using Finsbury Park.

I do know they were working at Glastonbury in the late 80's as I do recall speaking to someone behind the bar as I wanted to join but I was not given the correct information { never did run into him again as I would love to know why } - it was 89 or 90 when I first joined the Battersea Labour Party and they shared offices with the WBC and I have been with them ever since.

Its clear that if there was not strong ties between the WBC and The Mean Fiddler/Festival Republic then I doubt the WBC would be as big as it is - each year more and more social groups join so its no longer just Trade Unions and Labour Groups.

 

[TopCat]

There is no difference between stealing £10 in cash and £10 of drinks as it all has to be accounted for.

Lucky enough most volunteers don't steal.

You sound like a het up Mcdonalds manager demanding an employee be imprisoned for eating a handful of chips.

 

[rover07]

We don't know how many drinks were involved but lets say its £10 worth - if every volunteer was doing the same then the WBC would soon go bust and then there would be no money going to any good causes - its not coming out of GFL its stealing direct from every other volunteer who is not stealing.

There is no difference between stealing £10 in cash and £10 of drinks as it all has to be accounted for.

Lucky enough most volunteers don't steal.

The Contract that everyone has to sign makes it very clear that handing out free drinks to friends is stealing so no one can claim they were not warned.

Thats nonsense. Every bar allocates so much for wastage/spillage. Free drinks whether for staff or mates should come under this heading.

Its only stealing if the staff are pocketing money for free drinks.

 

[William of Walworth]

Thats nonsense. Every bar allocates so much for wastage/spillage. Free drinks whether for staff or mates should come under this heading.

Its only stealing if the staff are pocketing money for free drinks.

I'd be quite interested to see WBC WORKER's answer -- when he gets time -- to Garcia Lorca's post, he made some interesting points ...

And once again WBC, apologies for out slackness and failure to meet up with you at Glasto this time. Will rectify when that's possible, honest!

 

[William of Walworth]

When did the WBC start up and was it festies straight away?
I worked Reading from the very beginning* and we used to run the bars ourselves (as we also did we did with the security).
I think it was when Vince and Melvin joined up with the Pendletons that the WBC started there, would this be correct?

*Worked the Nat jazz Festivals since Windsor 196?

I ask out of interest as I'm sort of writing my memoirs and festivals are involved.Thanks for any memory jogging thoughts.
yardie

Slightly OT here but I'd be very interested to read your memoirs yardbird!

And I wouldn't be surprised if at least some of our respective festival going hasn't overlapped, I'm pretty old school as well

If you want to compare notes, drop me a PM

 

[Part 2]

I worked for the first time this year, just Glasto. Had a great time. I was lucky with shifts but I'd do it again definitely, might've gone to others if there was transport laid on. I only went back to the camp to sleep and grab some breakfast, most of my dinner tokens were unused I think, same with my beer tokens, pain in the arse having to go to a specific bar within specific times.

Only negative I saw were the lecherous security preying on girls off their heads, seedy cunts. The rape at Latitude was in a worker camp I heard....wasn't WBC was it?... quite easily could be from stuff I was told.

 

[paolo]

Thats nonsense. Every bar allocates so much for wastage/spillage. Free drinks whether for staff or mates should come under this heading.

Its only stealing if the staff are pocketing money for free drinks.

I don't know any bars where the staff are allowed to give away drinks.

Do you?

Not being too moralistic - I've been on the recieving end - but it's not some kind of industry standard perk that only WBC refuse to accept.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

indeed not standard industry practice, it's usually at the discretion of the landlord/manager; it does seem that WBC workers do get vouchers for free drinks, but the way those work seem a bit shit, they really ought to be redeemable at any of the bars involved.

Off topic: didn't the WBC have/run a pub in Clapham Manor road, or were they just offices hey had there in the early 90s?

e2a: think this is what I was thinking of: http://www.breadandrosespub.com/

 

[paolo]

they really ought to be redeemable at any of the bars involved.

Yep to that.

 

[WBC-WORKER]

indeed not standard industry practice, it's usually at the discretion of the landlord/manager; it does seem that WBC workers do get vouchers for free drinks, but the way those work seem a bit shit, they really ought to be redeemable at any of the bars involved.

Off topic: didn't the WBC have/run a pub in Clapham Manor road, or were they just offices hey had there in the early 90s?

e2a: think this is what I was thinking of: http://www.breadandrosespub.com/

taking things in reverse order.

Yes they do own a freehold pub and they did share offices within the Pub but a few years ago
they moved offices to Earlsfield but recently they moved back to the local area of Clapham { although its in the next street - 36c Prescott Place Clapham }

They also are building up a new site http://www.barsandcatering.com/ trading under the name EBC.

---------

As to where the vouchers can be used this has yet to be discussed at a WBC Group Organiser meeting as it is a pain they cant be used in every WBC Bar but there has been no meeting in 2011 so far.The official line is that vouchers have been abused in the past but its not clear in what way.

I know that over the years I have a whole stack of unused vouchers although I may share some of my vouchers with some of my Team.

its a issue that would be best to put on hold until after a WBC Group Organiser meeting as it is possible this may be modified once its made clear the practical problems.

Thats nonsense. Every bar allocates so much for wastage/spillage. Free drinks whether for staff or mates should come under this heading.

Its only stealing if the staff are pocketing money for free drinks.

I take it you have not read a 2011 Contract ?

From the 2011 Contract

It is theft to hand over discounted or free drinks to people over the bar. Propositioning any WBC staff for free or discounted drinks will be treated as harassment. Any incident of theft or harassment may result in me being removed from the site.

as you can see the official line is its stealing.

I worked for the first time this year, just Glasto. Had a great time. I was lucky with shifts but I'd do it again definitely, might've gone to others if there was transport laid on. I only went back to the camp to sleep and grab some breakfast, most of my dinner tokens were unused I think, same with my beer tokens, pain in the arse having to go to a specific bar within specific times.

Only negative I saw were the lecherous security preying on girls off their heads, seedy cunts. The rape at Latitude was in a worker camp I heard....wasn't WBC was it?... quite easily could be from stuff I was told.

As to when vouchers can be used - don't worry this will be brought up at the next Group Organiser meeting as the times need clarification.

I was working at some weekend events { where there is no camping } so on a late shift
on paper it was impossible to use them.

---------

There is always transport from London and if Organisers wish to speak to other Organisers
if they can get the numbers up to fill a coach then they can approach the WBC and suggest a coach is laid on - once again I am speaking as a private individual but its worth a try as I do know that some Organisers have been successful in the past.

As for the rape at Latitude - as far as I am aware this was not in the WBC Village { which is what the WBC call the WBC Campsite } and as I working with the Village Manager I would have been told if it had been within the WBC Village

going by reports ' both parties knew each other before attending the festival. '

I did spot Police cars but they were heading past the WBC Village -

Were you working at Latitude ? because you use the words ' quite easily could be from stuff I was told '

I was working in the WBC Village and did not see anything that was outrageous

I'd be quite interested to see WBC WORKER's answer -- when he gets time -- to Garcia Lorca's post, he made some interesting points ...

And once again WBC, apologies for out slackness and failure to meet up with you at Glasto this time. Will rectify when that's possible, honest!

I have already replied to Garcia Lorca by PM who I know face to face { if you see what I mean }

---------

Glasto 2011 was such a pain to move in that I stayed for most of the time in the camp and apart from Melanie I never saw any other acts. { will explain by PM }

Not to worry we will meet up in the future.

 

[Spanky Longhorn]

Anyone who is fed up with Worker's Beer might like to consider volunteering at http://www.b-linefb.com/ b-line festival bars or Avalon Festival Bars, I'll come back with the email address later - they are still looking for people for the Clapham Weekender on bank holiday weekend as far as I know. They're run with a similar ethos to WBC, only smaller and friendlier, but they aim to only use not for profit organisations.

 

[WBC-WORKER]

Unlike the WBC a volunteer with Avalon Bars and Events does not have any choice where their Team earnings goes to as I have only seen them earn money for EJF and Shelter

[email protected]

http://www.avalonevents.co.uk/

it is very similar because its run by a break away group from the WBC although there is one big difference - EJF and Shelter will take a deposit that is only returnable if a person completes their contract.I think this year the deposit was £ 150 and the other was £ 200 for Glastonbury.

Don't have a clue about b-line festival bars.

 

[Part 2]

Were you working at Latitude ? because you use the words ' quite easily could be from stuff I was told '

No I wasn't at Latitude, I was referring to the behaviour of some people on the site at Glasto. I meant it quite easily could happen.

 

[paolo]

No I wasn't at Latitude, I was referring to the behaviour of some people on the site at Glasto. I meant it quite easily could happen.

But didn't.

 

[Part 2]

But didn't.

Technically it may have done.

 

[paolo]

Technically it may have done.

Sounds like it's the police you or someone else should be talking to, not a random WBC volunteer.

 

[Part 2]

Sounds like it's the police you or someone else should be talking to, not a random WBC volunteer.

I'm not getting at anyone in particular, my point I suppose is that WBC have some 'duty of care' towards their workers and my impression was there were a lot of young staff. Although a story was told to me I've no proof anything happened (and if WBC-WORKER has heard nothing I can assume no complaint was made) but if grown men go letching after young girls off their heads on DMT/Ket there's a risk that a rape in the technical sense could easily occur and WBC would be under the microscope.

 

[moose]

.

 

[WBC-WORKER]

I'm not getting at anyone in particular, my point I suppose is that WBC have some 'duty of care' towards their workers and my impression was there were a lot of young staff. Although a story was told to me I've no proof anything happened (and if WBC-WORKER has heard nothing I can assume no complaint was made) but if grown men go letching after young girls off their heads on DMT/Ket there's a risk that a rape in the technical sense could easily occur and WBC would be under the microscope.

Sorry I am getting a bit lost as its not clear if you mean the WBC Village { The WBC Campsite } because the only security we had were guarding the gate and we had another guard guarding the production area { although unlikely you would have seen him as you would not have access to that area }

There was a few cases of WBC staff ' pushing the boat out ' within the WBC Village at Glastonbury but they were seen by the welfare officer { so there is a lot that happens behind the scenes that you may not be aware of }

If you mean one of the public bars then I am also mystified because none of the bar staff ' on duty ' should have been off their head.If you mean one of the Customers than clearly they should not have been served.

Can you explain ?

If there is something the WBC needs to know then send me a pm and I will pass it on to the WBC Chairman.

I am the longest serving volunteer on the WBC Books and while people may get up to all sorts of things there has never been any reports of any attacks in all the years I have been with them as after all the WBC knows exactly who everyone is.

 

[TopCat]

I love the way you "prove" giving away drinks to other staff etc is theft by quoting your own contracts that you force staff to sign. Pity said contracts don't stipulate managements obligations to staff eh?

 

[Teaboy]

I love the way you "prove" giving away drinks to other staff etc is theft by quoting your own contracts that you force staff to sign. Pity said contracts don't stipulate managements obligations to staff eh?

I cannot think of any organisation of this size just accepting that staff can give away freebies to whomever. Is this because its booze? Should the breakfast bar be giving away free bacon butties?

If its just one or two people giving away the odd pint then its clearly not going to matter, but on the scale of the WBC at Glasto it would be financially ruinous.

 

[WBC-WORKER]

I love the way you "prove" giving away drinks to other staff etc is theft by quoting your own contracts that you force staff to sign. Pity said contracts don't stipulate managements obligations to staff eh?

A Contract is a two way agreement and in fact it does spell out what volunteers can expect but in return there has to be some rules in place

I am a volunteer and group Organiser but I don't run the WBC.

With the price of drinks - if I was slipping five mates a free drink that comes in at £20

at some events the WBC may have 650 volunteers so if everyone did it that would be over £13,000 and if that happened every day its a huge amount of money.

The money has to come from somewhere.

 

[Tort]

at some events the WBC may have 650 volunteers so if everyone did it that would be over £13,000 and if that happened every day its a huge amount of money.

I'd be interested to know what £13k equates to in percentage terms at a festival where WBC employ 650 people and see fit to charge £4+ a pint. Not a lot I would imagine. I still kinda support what WBC stands for but the fact that I can attend lots of smaller festivals where I still only pay as little as £2:50 a pint makes me very glad I can rely on my own supplies for the majority of the time at Glastonbury.

 

[William of Walworth]

Have to agree with Tort really, overall. Most of the WBC bar/general bar prices really are full of wrongness. Not in particular a WBC bar price objection alone, more general.

I'll buy pints as and when needed, because at Glasto I'm on my main holiday of the year and now I'm employed I can afford a few, but

As it goes we didn't actually get massively off the drunken face this year most of the time, unlike recent years .... some of that relative retraint was times of shift related, some more of it bar price related ... and not wanting to carry TOO much of our own around when miles from the tent.

 

[WBC-WORKER]

I'd be interested to know what £13k equates to in percentage terms at a festival where WBC employ 650 people and see fit to charge £4+ a pint. Not a lot I would imagine. I still kinda support what WBC stands for but the fact that I can attend lots of smaller festivals where I still only pay as little as £2:50 a pint makes me very glad I can rely on my own supplies for the majority of the time at Glastonbury.

Cant say what it was this year but I know GFL doubled up the license fee for the WBC in 2010 so it cost double the previous fee and were only allocated 50% of the bars so in real terms that has gone up four fold.

In fact the way things are going I have my doubts if the WBC will even bother to run bars there as its highly likely they made a trading loss this year.Its only a matter of time but its on the cards.

There is a huge difference between Gross sales and net profit.

 

[paolo]

A couple of points:

At Glastonbury, there are three main bar companies. Their prices are pretty much identical. If there's a pricing complaint to be made, it's general to Glastonbury, nothing specific to WBC.

Secondly, in terms of ire at profits - TopCat's issue - why again are WBC villains, giving their money to unions and other good causes, whilst commercial operations like Peppermint bars not worthy of criticism?

As for giving stuff away to mates, in your job, how much are you allowed to give away? A very very small amount, or absolutely zero? Most places I've worked it's been zero. Again one can argue that's unfair, but it's certainly not a WBC peculiarity.

I'm not saying WBC is beyond reproach, but alot of the stuff coming up here seems to lack perspective - both in terms of bar providers on an equal footing (e.g. at Glastonbury), and in terms of the wider world.