The Company was established by local trades unionists in Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council (BWTUC) in the mid-1980s to raise money for their campaigns and activities. BWTUC already had some experience in running small local outdoor festivals and running a bar was a natural next step. The Company itself started up by providing bars at small socials and benefits, but soon found itself in demand for larger events.

After running a bar at the Anti-Apartheid rally on Clapham Common the Company was invited by Michael Eavis to provide bars at the Glastonbury festival in 1986 and the Company has been there ever since, its banners now an well-established part of this world-acclaimed event.

In the late 80s the Company teamed up with Vince Power of the Mean Fiddler to co-promote the Fleadh in Finsbury Park, which ran for over a decade as London’s premier outdoor Irish and international music event. The Mean Fiddler has since gone on to become the largest promoter in the UK.

Through the 90s the Company has worked on some of the UK’s largest festivals, including Reading, Glastonbury, Phoenix, Homelands and Leeds.

Apart from the larger events, the Company also supports smaller trades union and community events, including the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs Day in Dorset and the Lighthouse bike-ride.

The Company has a history of producing events, including the renowned London Mayday Festivals of the 1990s and more recently the Mayor of London’s Rise: London United Festival - an anti-racist event promoted by the Mayor with London trades unions and the National Assembly against Racism. In 2006 over 100,000 people enjoyed Rise: London United in Finsbury Park in North London. See the festival website [links] for news of next year’s show.

The Company’s heady mix of music, commerce, fundraising and plain fun has captured the imagination of a new generation of trades union and campaigning activists, and brought a labour movement message to hundreds of thousands of young people at festivals and music events. Since it was founded by Battersea and Wandsworth TUC, the Workers Beer Company has raised over £3,000,000 for the organisations that work with it.

The Workers Beer Company is managed by an independent committee of volunteers supported by nine full-time staff. See the current list of Management Committee members.