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Imagine this: A company just recently ended a policy from 1847 that allowed its workers to drink as much beer on the job as they liked. The workers are upset, and they went on strike.

We’re not making this up.

The Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen, Denmark, just changed its policy on beer in the workplace.

It used to allow workers to take as many beers as they wanted from coolers around the production and warehouse areas. The only restriction: You can’t be drunk at work. It was up to the workers to be responsible. So, you see, they were thinking about safety.

Now, the workers can only drink beer during their half-hour lunch breaks in the company canteen.

So scores of workers went on strike.

Their union says it doesn’t mind the new policy, which other companies are adopting throughout Denmark. What bothers the union and workers is that they weren’t consulted on the policy.

Carlsberg’s truck drivers joined the production and warehouse workers in the strike, even though they’re covered by different beer rules. The truck drivers can bring three beers from the canteen because they don’t often have time to have their lunch there.

Tags: beer, Carlsberg brewery, policy change