Beer drinkers have been warned that their favourite Greene King brands could be off the shelves by Christmas as brewery workers prepare to go on strike.

A total of 188 members of the Unite union at the company's plants in Bury St Edmunds, Abingdon and Eastwood in Nottinghamshire will start a five-day strike on December 5.

The workers brew and distribute Greene King’s products, including IPA, Old Speckled Hen and Abbot Ale.

East Anglian Daily Times: Greene King's beer distribution could be hit by a strike next month.Greene King's beer distribution could be hit by a strike next month. (Image: Greene King)

They voted for strike action after Greene King offered them a 3% pay rise and a further one-off payment of £650.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Greene King’s owners are incredibly wealthy, the failure to offer workers a decent pay rise is all about greed and not about need.

“Unite, which is now entirely focussed on defending the jobs, pay and conditions of its members, will not idly stand by while a wealthy company tries to further boost its profits by subjecting its workers to substantial real-terms pay cuts.

“Unite members at Greene King will receive the union’s complete and total support throughout their dispute.”

Unite regional officer Mark Jaina said: “The strike action will inevitably result in drinkers being denied their favourite tipple this Christmas but this dispute is entirely of Greene King’s own making.

"It has had every chance to make a fair pay offer but has refused to do so. Greene King needs to stop wringing its hands and make our members a decent pay offer.”

A spokeswoman for Greene King said: “We are disappointed that the union has encouraged its members to reject our pay offer, as well as a number of other benefits, and pursue this course of action.

"Our pay rise offer is fair and consistent across the business, especially given the challenging wider economic environment.

"We have full contingency plans in place to minimise disruption and we will be working closely with our customers to communicate and implement these in the coming days.”