Sacked managers take on Sam Smith

Sacked pub managers are lining up a series of unfair dismissal claims against North Yorkshire brewer Sam Smith.

The company is facing a number of cases, which have been filed at employment tribunals across the north of England.

It follows a series of cost-cutting measures implemented by the Tadcaster-based brewery at pubs in Yorkshire and Humberside over the past nine months.

In a number of cases managers are alleging that they lost their jobs after refusing instructions to sack other staff without required consultation procedures.

Other managers claim that they were dismissed when they refused to accept cuts in their

working hours and other changes to their employment conditions.

The first tribunal hearing, involving former Doncaster pub managers Frank and Pam Marshall, is due to be heard at Sheffield in early March. The managers are being represented by the Unite union, which took over the National Association of Licensed House Managers last year.

Unite regional officer Phil Brown said the brewery had embarked on a mission to reduce staff costs and had seemingly disregarded required legal consultation procedures. The Sheffield case could determine the success of other claims.

"We're not talking about here today and gone tomorrow managers, one of those involved has worked for the company for 20 years, and this is a matter of principle for this couple," said Brown. "The brewery seems obsessed with keeping the price of its beer super low and has ridden roughshod over staff in a bid to cut costs."

Beer prices in Sam Smith pubs are among the lowest in the UK with bitter priced around £1.42 a pint. There was no brewery spokesman available to comment.