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Irregular News for 07.18.06
Milwaukee, MN -- Milwaukee County should reverse its decade-old ban on the sale of Pabst Brewing Co. beer at county facilities, two officials propose in a resolution set for debate by the County Board parks committee on Tuesday.
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The ban, born after the company closed its Milwaukee plant in 1996 and cut off retirement health benefits, is outdated because new owners are trying to take care of ex-employees, said Supervisor Roger Quindel, a sponsor of the 1996 ban. Also, he said, local favorite Miller Brewing Co. now produces most Pabst beers here.
"It's a different time," Quindel said. "If you boycott people forever, why would anyone change?"
The parks committee Tuesday could send the resolution to the full County Board later this month. If the resolution is passed, it would lift the 1996 ban, allowing Pabst to compete for the business of county facilities.
Milwaukee-based Pabst officials overseeing Miller's production of Pabst beers asked him to introduce the measure, Quindel said. Supervisor Joseph Rice is a co-sponsor.
Pabst CEO Kevin Kotecki acknowledges that many Milwaukeeans may retain a bitter taste over Pabst's past acts, but brand loyalists remain.
"We deserve a second chance," Kotecki said.
The resolution says that Pabst now contributes to pension and retiree medical benefits and is becoming "a more responsible employer and corporate citizen."
Pabst relocated its corporate headquarters this year to the Chicago area from Texas. The company owns 25 product lines, including the familiar Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Milwaukee, Old Style, Schlitz and Colt 45 labels. It contracts with Miller and La Crosse-based City Brewing Co., among others, to bottle its beer. The Miller contract supports union and salaried jobs in Milwaukee, the resolution states.
The Blue Ribbon label's popularity has bloomed in the last five years, eventually gaining national attention, Kotecki and Quindel said.
"Pabst has a little buzz to the name now," Quindel said.
Miller brands dominate at county golf courses, the zoo and other facilities, county officials say, but a few local microbrews are also on tap.
A few labels that Pabst acquired in 1999, Old Style and Special Export, are sold at county golf courses. Laurie Panella, parks recreation services chief, said park officials thought The Stroh Brewery Co. still owned those labels.
The Milwaukee County Zoo sells only Miller products, said Karl Hackbarth of zoo operations.
Pabst would likely have a difficult time cracking the zoo's lineup given the strong relationship with Miller, Hackbarth said. The zoo might consider it if Miller distributors ask the zoo to carry some of the Pabst labels brewed at Miller's local plant, he said.
A call to a Miller spokesman was not returned.
Brewery Workers Local 9 President Harry Shayhorn was reluctant to comment, citing pending litigation involving former Schlitz workers.
"The only (major) beer brewed here is Miller beer," Shayhorn said. "If we would support anything, it would be the local product."
source
Milwaukee, MN -- Milwaukee County should reverse its decade-old ban on the sale of Pabst Brewing Co. beer at county facilities, two officials propose in a resolution set for debate by the County Board parks committee on Tuesday.
Advertisement
The ban, born after the company closed its Milwaukee plant in 1996 and cut off retirement health benefits, is outdated because new owners are trying to take care of ex-employees, said Supervisor Roger Quindel, a sponsor of the 1996 ban. Also, he said, local favorite Miller Brewing Co. now produces most Pabst beers here.
"It's a different time," Quindel said. "If you boycott people forever, why would anyone change?"
The parks committee Tuesday could send the resolution to the full County Board later this month. If the resolution is passed, it would lift the 1996 ban, allowing Pabst to compete for the business of county facilities.
Milwaukee-based Pabst officials overseeing Miller's production of Pabst beers asked him to introduce the measure, Quindel said. Supervisor Joseph Rice is a co-sponsor.
Pabst CEO Kevin Kotecki acknowledges that many Milwaukeeans may retain a bitter taste over Pabst's past acts, but brand loyalists remain.
"We deserve a second chance," Kotecki said.
The resolution says that Pabst now contributes to pension and retiree medical benefits and is becoming "a more responsible employer and corporate citizen."
Pabst relocated its corporate headquarters this year to the Chicago area from Texas. The company owns 25 product lines, including the familiar Pabst Blue Ribbon, Old Milwaukee, Old Style, Schlitz and Colt 45 labels. It contracts with Miller and La Crosse-based City Brewing Co., among others, to bottle its beer. The Miller contract supports union and salaried jobs in Milwaukee, the resolution states.
The Blue Ribbon label's popularity has bloomed in the last five years, eventually gaining national attention, Kotecki and Quindel said.
"Pabst has a little buzz to the name now," Quindel said.
Miller brands dominate at county golf courses, the zoo and other facilities, county officials say, but a few local microbrews are also on tap.
A few labels that Pabst acquired in 1999, Old Style and Special Export, are sold at county golf courses. Laurie Panella, parks recreation services chief, said park officials thought The Stroh Brewery Co. still owned those labels.
The Milwaukee County Zoo sells only Miller products, said Karl Hackbarth of zoo operations.
Pabst would likely have a difficult time cracking the zoo's lineup given the strong relationship with Miller, Hackbarth said. The zoo might consider it if Miller distributors ask the zoo to carry some of the Pabst labels brewed at Miller's local plant, he said.
A call to a Miller spokesman was not returned.
Brewery Workers Local 9 President Harry Shayhorn was reluctant to comment, citing pending litigation involving former Schlitz workers.
"The only (major) beer brewed here is Miller beer," Shayhorn said. "If we would support anything, it would be the local product."
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