No Union, Company, or country survives 100 years without facing challenges,
conflict, and controversy. Indeed it is the ability of those institutions
to adapt to change; rise to challenges; and find ways to resolve conflicts,
which allows them to survive and prosper.

During the last 100 years this Union has had its share of challenges,
controversy and conflicts, but has grown and prospered in spite of them.
More important, its members have benefited by its work. We have outlived
all the Companies we represented in 1902, and have expanded our membership
well beyond our historic base in the brewing industry. Today 75% of
our members work outside the brewing industry.

Today our members demand and receive a much wider range of services
than they did in 1902 and while the basic tools which the Union has
at its’ disposal to deliver those services (the strike and collective
agreement) have not changed the Union it has a much wider arsenal (
financial, political, and legislative) at its disposal. Despite 100
years of changes the objective of the Union remains the same – to make
the lives of our members richer, safer and more fulfilling.

Ours is a history of members working together to support their leadership
and each other. It is a history that demonstrates at every juncture
the importance and value to working people of working together in their
Union. It is a history to be proud of and, if the first 100 years are
any indication one which will see the Union continue to make things
better for their members for the next 100 years.

Just think – if the weekly wage increases by 139 times in the next 100
years as it did in the first 100 years a brewery worker in 2102 would
be making slightly in excess of $194,000.00 for every 48 hour week he
or she works.