Why I do what I do (part III) – Workers Beer Company

A couple of times a year, I head off to music festivals in Ireland or the UK, where I get in for free, spend much of the weekend having a few beers with mates, do a little work, and pick up a cheque at the weekend. Sounds pretty good, right?!

The Workers’ Beer Company were founded by Battersea and Wandsworth Trade Union Council in the 80s to raise money for union campaigns and other activities. Since then, they have gone on to become the largest drinks company at UK festivals, running the bars at festivals like Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds and Homelands. In Ireland, they have yet to crack this market, but run the information stewarding contract for Oxegen, as well as organising the disposable cups at both Oxegen and Electric Picnic.

The way they man their operations is what’s most innovative about the company. All staff are members of progressive groups (in Ireland, these include Labour LGBT, Louth Greens, Dublin Pride and ICTU Youth amongst a myriad of others). The vast majority of staff work 6 hour shifts on each day of the festivals. Instead of being paid directly, their organisations are paid about €8.50 an hour for their work – a brilliant way of fundraising for progressive groups. A small minority of staff work as managers doing 12 hour shifts, and they get paid themselves (as compensation for the longer shifts – this is how I get paid). All profits not paid out to staff from the various contracts, are ploughed back into Battersea and Wandsworth TUC.

I’ve been working with WBC for about 4 years now, and hope to increase the number of festivals I can work at next year. It’s a brilliant way of going to festivals (particularly for the volunteer staff, who have short shifts, combined with free entry and transport, with free grub and drinks also provided), and it’s a genuinely brilliant way of raising money for your charity or campaigning organisation – I know of one organisation who have raised well over €5K in two years for their participation.

Anyone interested in registering their organisation can do so here (note the website is currently being redesigned, so I have a feeling this link may break in the process)