Is this it?: Bell tolls for Lakeport Brewery
I want to thank Labatt Brewing Company.
I want to thank you, for taking my one-income family down to none, and for taking away my family's benefits when they've never needed them more. For making a lame excuse of a severance package that you think is justification for waiting this long to tell us that Lakeport Brewery in Hamilton, will be closing as of April 30.
Three years ago, Lakeport CEO Teresa Cascioli decided to make a quick $40-million for herself by accepting Labatt's offer to buy of $201.4-million. Before that, Cascioli had been managing the company since 1999, bringing the company away from the edge of bankruptcy, and making them the top discount beer brand in Ontario. This was aided by the 24 for $24 campaign in 2002, that we all grew to love so much - before the less catchy 24-for-25.60 was put into place. Cascioli's support of this change clearly marked the end of an era.
So how did the faithful workers of Lakeport find out the news, that the homegrown, successful brewery had now been sold to the big-bad-wolf of beer companies?
Ask my father; he's been working there for over 10 years, and as he left from his night shift on the morning of February 1, 2007, he was greeted by the adoring press, being asked what the workers thought of the sudden takeover by Labatt's. I suppose the CEO had forgotten to mention that, as she sailed off into the sunset with her cut of the cheque.
After that, it went downhill; waves of layoffs, factory construction (while it had already been overhauled just prior to being bought out), and Lakeport beverages being routinely being produced in Halifax. It was expected that Lakeport would be closed, after all, Labatt's had been trying to kill the discount beer market since day one; it was only a matter of time.
Time caught up with them on the morning of March 30, 2010. Once again, while leaving the night shift, workers were told to report to a meeting, and day staff was told not to report to work that day. Once there, they were told they had one month left on the job; I'm sure there were some refreshments in the back they could have helped themselves to. Pre-made folders and pamphlets were handed out, informing each employee of their severance package and how there are jobs available in London. What's an hour and a half commute every day?
I'm not surprised they're closing, I'm more surprised at how Labatt's clearly knew about this for months and decided to wait until there was a month left to tell the employees that they had one month to get out. I just find the overall treatment and lack of respect toward Lakeport to be completely undeserved, given what they did for the discount beer industry.
Thank-you Labatt's for driving me to make the decision to buy higher-quality beer. You can expect very little of my business in the future. Please pass along my thanks to Cascioli as well; what on Earth would you have done without her?
Congratulations. You win.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
I want to thank you, for taking my one-income family down to none, and for taking away my family's benefits when they've never needed them more. For making a lame excuse of a severance package that you think is justification for waiting this long to tell us that Lakeport Brewery in Hamilton, will be closing as of April 30.
Three years ago, Lakeport CEO Teresa Cascioli decided to make a quick $40-million for herself by accepting Labatt's offer to buy of $201.4-million. Before that, Cascioli had been managing the company since 1999, bringing the company away from the edge of bankruptcy, and making them the top discount beer brand in Ontario. This was aided by the 24 for $24 campaign in 2002, that we all grew to love so much - before the less catchy 24-for-25.60 was put into place. Cascioli's support of this change clearly marked the end of an era.
So how did the faithful workers of Lakeport find out the news, that the homegrown, successful brewery had now been sold to the big-bad-wolf of beer companies?
Ask my father; he's been working there for over 10 years, and as he left from his night shift on the morning of February 1, 2007, he was greeted by the adoring press, being asked what the workers thought of the sudden takeover by Labatt's. I suppose the CEO had forgotten to mention that, as she sailed off into the sunset with her cut of the cheque.
After that, it went downhill; waves of layoffs, factory construction (while it had already been overhauled just prior to being bought out), and Lakeport beverages being routinely being produced in Halifax. It was expected that Lakeport would be closed, after all, Labatt's had been trying to kill the discount beer market since day one; it was only a matter of time.
Time caught up with them on the morning of March 30, 2010. Once again, while leaving the night shift, workers were told to report to a meeting, and day staff was told not to report to work that day. Once there, they were told they had one month left on the job; I'm sure there were some refreshments in the back they could have helped themselves to. Pre-made folders and pamphlets were handed out, informing each employee of their severance package and how there are jobs available in London. What's an hour and a half commute every day?
I'm not surprised they're closing, I'm more surprised at how Labatt's clearly knew about this for months and decided to wait until there was a month left to tell the employees that they had one month to get out. I just find the overall treatment and lack of respect toward Lakeport to be completely undeserved, given what they did for the discount beer industry.
Thank-you Labatt's for driving me to make the decision to buy higher-quality beer. You can expect very little of my business in the future. Please pass along my thanks to Cascioli as well; what on Earth would you have done without her?
Congratulations. You win.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
