The Amstel brand owner had also faced industrial action in the Netherlands before a pay deal was reached this week Workers at a Heineken brewery in France have reportedly resorted to strike action in a dispute over pay Local media reports suggested more than 100 staff at the Mons-en-Baroeul site in the city of Lille began industrial action on Monday (9 December) as they seek an annual salary increase of €200 ($210) Heineken workers at two breweries in the Netherlands have downed tools in recent weeks. However, that pay dispute was settled this week as the Amstel brand owner put forward a two-year offer including a 4% salary increase in 2025 and a further 3% rise the following year Trade unions in France representing the Mons-en-Baroeul workers claim some have not had a salary increase since the 2003-04 negotiations Approached by Just Drinks to ascertain the status of its talks with staff and for an idea of how long the brewer expects the negotiation process to last This publication has also asked the two trade unions involved for more details on the workers’ pay demands Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT) had also not replied at the time of writing as Just Drinks sought to confirm if the industrial action is still ongoing Jean-Marie Cocheteux for the CFDT was quoted in the French media as saying: “We had in our list of demands a general increase of 5% or 200 euros The management came in with 0.8% to end up with 1.7% and only for the production agents supervisors and managers are also affected by inflation.” Christophe Dutilly for the CGT reportedly said: “The company used to be known for paying well the attractiveness of the name is no longer there.” Nominations are now open for the prestigious Just Drinks Excellence Awards - one of the industry's most recognised programmes celebrating innovation This is your chance to showcase your achievements Don't miss the opportunity to be honoured among the best - submit your nomination today Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network Amsterdam-headquartered Heineken has a glass half full outlook on beer sales in the Gulf, a region that has a history of restricting alcohol sale and consumption Heineken and Dubai-based Maritime and Mercantile International announced Thursday that their joint venture was planning to open the Gulf’s first large-scale brewery in Dubai will start building the brewery in late 2025 and has secured all necessary permits Construction is due to be completed in 2027 Amstel and Birra Moretti will be made at the Dubai facility but Heineken said that this would be upsized to 190 people which has been supplying alcohol in the United Arab Emirates for nearly two decades believes local production will boost output to meet growing demand. Of the 17.3 million tourists Dubai welcomed over 2023 more than 20% of them came from Western countries “For our tourism and hospitality customers local production will provide greater flexibility to local market demands," Georgios Polymenakos The project will be funded by Sirocco through local borrowing and cashflow Although alcohol was free to buy and consume in the UAE up until the late 1970s, restrictions were imposed in 1979 to preserve religious standards. In 2006, the Federal Criminal Code was amended to remove the requirement for a license to consume alcohol in certain situations, in a bid to transform Dubai into the tourism hub it is today restrictions have loosened as more tourists have poured into the UAE residents of Dubai no longer have to pay a 30% sales tax and an alcohol license fee to buy liquor all alcohol was imported and local production was prohibited Abu Dhabi published a subtle rule change in 2021 that allows license holders to make their own alcohol on-site announced plans to open a brewery as well as a bottling plant for spirits in the Al Hulaila Industrial Free Zone The facility is expected to be built by the end of 2026.  are increasingly looking to diversify their economies away from oil and invest in sectors like tourism and hospitality In February, the first alcohol store opened in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, the latest shift in the kingdom's conservative societal traditions For subscription inquiries, please contact subscription.support@al-monitor.com For all other inquiries, please use contactus@al-monitor.com. Text description provided by the architects. Set in the orthonormal organisation of the town of Mons-en-Barœul, the cultural centre pivots, the better to look at the town hall. The building gains in autonomy and becomes an urban landmark. It contains three music studios, one 500‑seat modular auditorium, a bar, an exhibition gallery, and a large rehearsal room. The pivoting of the volume of the large rehearsal room creates a large empty space on the inside that connects with the other elements of the project. The geometrical conflict generated by this pivoting is revealed by the triangular shape the empty space creates. In association with the diagonal lines of the staircase, the walls bend in an upward movement. © Eugeni PonsThe black lacquered surfaces render perception of the space more complex. Right at the top, the light brought in by the white ceiling gives it the appearance of a starry sky. The spaces are gathered around this strange heart, which may be read as some kind of interior dislocation. The spatial instability generated by the folds and reflections lends a strange atmosphere to the whole. © Eugeni PonsThe retractable tiered seating that covers two-thirds of the auditorium allows for a wide range of uses. The grid extends beyond the footprint of the stage, allowing a wide range of stage configurations. Acoustic scenario. General arrangements. © Eugeni PonsThe project derives its quintessence from its context Its simple volumes make no attempt to compete with the surrounding high-rise buildings By emancipating itself from the urban geometry the building is not a competitor; it seeks to transcend the ages You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker