On Friday evening, employees of Creature Comforts Brewing Company announced the creation of the Brewing Union of Georgia at a surprise unveiling event at Little Kings Shuffle Club, featuring a performance by hip-hop artist Linqua Franqa, also known as Mariah Parker, a former Athens-Clarke County commissioner and union activist.
The event was hosted in partnership with Franqa and several political and union organizations in Athens such as United Campus Workers of Georgia, Athens Area Democratic Socialists of America, Economic Justice Coalition and the Union of Southern Service Workers.
“We are forming a new independent union, we're calling it the Brewing Union of Georgia,” said Katie Britton, marketing manager of Creature Comforts.
Employees of Creature Comforts Brewing Company announced the creation of the Brewing Union of Georgia on Jan. 13, 2023, at Little Kings Shuffle Club in Athens, Georgia. (Photo/Ireland Hayes)
Posters were handed out to the crowd during Franqa’s performance with the new union’s logo and name. Franqa welcomed Britton to the stage and the crowd roared with approval upon hearing the announcement.
Britton said that the union was formed to try and spread the positive workplace culture and core values of Creature Comforts to other breweries in the state and improve conditions in the field. They thanked Creature Comforts, committee members from the Economic Justice Coalition and the community for their continued support.
“Creature’s a big part of this community, and this community is a really big part of Creature's,” Britton said. “We all believe that this is a really good step for everyone in our community and beyond.”
Linqua Franqa, a hip-hop artist and activist, performs at the unveiling of the new Brewing Union of Georgia on Jan. 13, 2023, at Little Kings Shuffle Club in Athens, Georgia. (Photo/Ireland Hayes)
Parker is a self-proclaimed “union thug,” and is an organizer with USSW, a union built “by and for low-wage workers across the service industry,” according to the union’s website. Parker shared the announcement and their excitement for the new union after the event on Twitter.
BREAKING NEWS: THE CREATURES OF CREATURE COMFORTS ARE BREWING A UNION! BREWERS UNION OF GEORGIA BABYYYYYYY pic.twitter.com/m2EWGcXmVk
— by any means, phd (@MariahforAthens) January 13, 2023
“When we stand together across races, across genders and sexualities and religions, we can take down the person, the corporation, the institution…we’ve got to believe it, do y’all believe it?” Parker said, addressing the crowd.
Erin Stacer, co-chair of Athens area DSA, said that their organization and the other organizations that collaborated to host the event wanted to support labor rights, workers and unions in the community.
Stacer said advocating for workers rights is particularly important in Athens due to the high cost of living and poverty rates despite an active workforce.
Katie Pfannkuche and her son watch a performance by hip-hop artist and activist Linqua Franqa at Little Kings Shuffle Club on Jan. 14, 2023, as they wait to hear a surprise announcement. Employees from Creature Comforts Brewing Company later revealed that they have created the Brewing Union of Georgia. (Photo/Ireland Hayes)
“In Athens… wages don't match the cost of living. And people are working, but they can't live here,” Stacer said. “That's what the importance of being able to organize, being able to have leverage in your workplace means.”
At the end of the event, people were invited to go walk down the street to Creature Comforts Brewing Company to celebrate further.
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Creation of Creature Comforts union announced at surprise unveiling - Red and Black
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