They probably wouldn’t be the best alcohol policies in the world.  At least not according to Carlsberg staff who went on strike last week after the company decided to cut off their limitless beer access.  Staff at the Danish brewery are now only allowed to drink beer in the canteen during their lunch break.

Those poor, poor Carlsberg employees!  What a traumatic experience for them to have their beer coolers removed from the workplace.  It’s no wonder they went out on strike!  The company had been considering the move for some time, they said, but were unprepared for the backlash of the strike.

Now, before you picture the scene of every Carlsberg worker drunk as the proverbial while at work, the company had always forbidden its employees to be drunk on the job.  Not only that, but their delivery trucks are fitted with alcohol ignition locks which prevent employees from driving if they are over the limit. 

I wonder.. do employees at other factories expect unlimited access to their company’s products?  Every Cadbury’s worker would overdose on chocolate…every Walkers worker would be up to their eyeballs in crisps and the least said about Andrex employees the better!

Alcohol policies have always been a difficult subject for employers.  In the UK we have a culture of workplace drinking which makes employers out to be killjoys if they operate a "zero tolerance" policy.  While legislation still allows individuals to consume an amount of alcohol before they are deemed over the limit for driving purposes, where does the employer draw the line?  Do you risk condoning the consumption of alcohol during the working day and trying to quantify what is an acceptable amount while all the time crossing your fingers and hoping no one has an accident after having a beer at lunchtime or on their way home from work?

So,  your comments please!  Do your sympathies lie with the employees at Carlsberg on this occasion or do you think the company are right to take a tougher line?