UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Brewer revokes free beer, workers walk out

FREDERICIA, Denmark, April 9 (UPI) -- Hundreds of workers at Denmark's two Carlsberg breweries walked out of the facilities to protest the revocation of their daily free beer privileges.

The workers said they walked out of plants in Fredericia and Hoje Taastrup after managers ended the 163-year-old tradition of allowing workers to consume free beer during the workday by removing the beer from company refrigerators located around the facilities, The Times of London reported Friday.

Company officials said the refrigerators are now instead stocked with soft drinks. Beer will still be available on tap at lunchtime. The officials said they have no plans to reverse the decision.

"We think times have changed and we need an alcohol policy that is accepted by society," Carlsberg spokesman Jens Bekke said. "There has been free beer, water and soft drinks everywhere. Beers were removed from all refrigerators on Wednesday. The only place you can get a beer in future is in the canteen, at lunch."

Dennis Onsvig, a union representative for Carlsberg employees, said that the strike had less to do with the beer than with management making a decision without union input.

"We have stopped working because Carlsberg's management violated the bargaining agreement by making a policy change without our input," he said. "There was no dialogue over the issue at all, and that is just not good enough."

Couple called 'too old' for airline seats

BRISTOL, England, April 9 (UPI) -- A retired British couple say they were banned from airplane seats with additional legroom they paid extra for because they were deemed "too old" to sit there.

Marion Webb, 77, and her husband Derek, 79, paid an extra $150 on top of their $3,600 fare for a March 15 flight from Bristol, England, to Egypt on Thomson Airways, The Daily Mail reported Friday.

But airline staff at Bristol International Airport told them they were "too old" for the exit row seats and would be unable to operate the door in an emergency, the newspaper said.

The Bristol couple said they were "hurt, humiliated and angry" at such treatment.

Thomson officials eventually relented and allowed the Webbs to sit in their previously booked seats, the Mail said.

But on the return flight the couple was given seats that were not together and not in the emergency row they booked.

"Thomson must adopt a clear and cohesive policy about selling extra legroom seats," Marion Webb said.

"Being elderly does not automatically make one frail. People can be frail at any age. I do not want this to happen to us or to any one else in future."

Mayor apologizes for school play snooze

WORTHING, England, April 9 (UPI) -- A British mayor has apologized to a class of 11-year-olds for falling asleep during a performance of their school musical.

Parents said students at Vale First and Middle School in Worthing, England, were in tears during intermission after the guests of honor at their performance of "Bugsy Malone," Mayor Noel Atkins and his wife, Helena, fell asleep only a few minutes after the play started, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

Atkins said he had been fighting a cold and his wife had been prescribed medication that made her drowsy on the evening of the play.

"I would like to apologize if I have upset any of the children," he said. "A reviving cup of coffee did work wonders, and we were pleased to meet and chat with the children during the interval and enjoy their performance of 'Bugsy.'"

Dick Tracy heading to Chicago suburb

NAPERVILLE, Ill., April 9 (UPI) -- Dick Tracy will be keeping a watchful eye on Riverwalk in the Chicago suburb of Naperville when the town unveils a 9-foot likeness of the comic book detective.

The 2,000-pound bronze sculpture will be dedicated Sunday in Naperville, the hometown of Dick Locher, who writes the comic strip's story line, the Chicago Tribune reported.

"I am so damn excited," Locher said. "It seems like the sculpture turned out pretty well."

Locher worked on the Dick Tracy likeness with sculptor Don Reed, a Wisconsin foundry and leaders from Naperville's non-profit Century Walk Corp., which paid for the $130,500 sculpture and has put 35 pieces of art along the Riverwalk.

The sculpture depicts the detective using his two-way wrist radio while wearing a yellow coat, a yellow hat and a red tie.

Naperville lawyer W. Brand Bobosky, who founded Century Walk, called the sculpture "a signature piece of art."

"Dick Tracy is world-renowned, so we believe that this will be a piece that will attract a lot of visitors to see it," he said.

"Many people use the Riverwalk, and kids will be able to see the sculpture and associate Dick Tracy with Naperville," said Mayor George Pradel.

The sculpture will be erected on the south side of the DuPage River on land owned by Naperville Township next to its headquarters building.

"Looking at the sculpture from Main Street, you'll see a perfect reflection of Dick Tracy in the water," Locher said.