Toast St. Patrick with union-made beer

WASHINGTON (PAI) – All hail St. Patrick on Mar. 17, declares Union Plus, the benefits program for union members.  And when you heft a mug, make sure the brew is union-made, it adds.  Here’s its list of union-made beers, for St. Patrick’s Day, or any other feast, and it’s longer than you’d suspect:

Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser, Bud Light, Budweiser American Ale, Labatt’s Blue, Molson, Moosehead and Saranac (Teamsters), Genesee (Teamsters/Operating Engineers/Plumbers), Hamm’s, Hamm’s Draft, Hamm’s Light, Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, Henry Weinhard’s Blue Boar Pale Ale, Leinenkugel’s and Icehouse (Auto Workers), Iron City (IUE-CWA), Lionshead and Stegmaier (Operating Engineers).

Also Busch, Mad River, Michelob, Natural Light, O’Doul’s, Rolling Rock, Shock Top and Steelhead Fine Ale (Machinists), Olde English 800, Pabst, Red Dog, Mickey’s Malt, Mickey’s Ice, Miller, Miller Lite, Miller Genuine Draft and Genuine Draft Light, Miller High Life and High Life Light, Miller Lite Ice, Milwaukee’s Best, Best Light and Best Ice (Auto Workers) and Sharp’s non-alcoholic beer (Auto Workers). 

So, if we read this right, the Teamsters have virtually every beer from St. Louis, plus the big Canadian beers, the Auto Workers have most of Milwaukee’s brews, the Machinists are into Hamm’s, Michelob and some smaller drafts and the UAW takes care of teetotalers. And the Operating Engineers, the Plumbers, and IUE are into beers, too.

Whew.

One more note, in emails to Union Plus in response to its list: The multimillionaire right-wing owner of Yuengling is a key force behind an anti-union so-called “right to work” initiative in Pennsylvania, writers report.  So stay away from his beer, they add.

Photo: AP