Programmed is a wholly owned subsidiary of Persol Holdings, a human resource conglomerate headquartered in Tokyo.

[4] In 2016, a major industrial dispute arose at Carlton & United Breweries' (CUB) Abbotsford plant, after workers at the facility were told that their de jure employer would become a subsidiary of Programmed.

[6] The controversy heightened when it was realized that the agreement had been established in 2014, by a subsidiary of Programmed named Catalyst Services; and was voted upon by just three casual workers at the time.

[6] Most of the workers at the facility refused to sign onto their new employment contracts under those conditions, and began a picketing campaign that lasted 6 months.

[6] In December 2016, an agreement was reached between the Electrical Trades Union of Australia and CUB resolving the dispute.