Workers at bottling plant poised for strike

UNION workers at a Chivas bottling plant are to strike in a dispute over pay.

Unite said it had served notice to the company that members at the Kilmalid site in Dumbarton will stage a day of industrial action from 6am on August 7.

The union accused Chivas of “ignoring the voice of its workforce”.

Workers voted to reject the company’s four-year pay increase offer of 1.5% in year one, followed by an average of the CPIH inflation measure between 2017 and 2019.

An overtime ban has already been put in place by Unite.

Last year, Chivas announced plans to invest £40 million in its Dumbarton plant.

The Scotch whisky and gin firm is moving all its operations from Paisley to Kilmalid and said it plans to invest in a new facility over the next three years.

Unite regional co-ordinating officer Elaine Dougall said: “Our members are angry that this offer which was tabled on July 18 and was rejected overwhelmingly in a ballot by 86% fails to recognise the contribution our members make to the success of Chivas.

“We will continue to press hard for a settlement but our members are clear: they want to see a significantly improved offer and harmonisation of terms and conditions on the table before they will consider withdrawing from industrial action.

“This dispute will only be settled if our members get a genuine commitment which is an improvement on its recent offer.

“If not, we will continue to act on our members’ wishes. Unite would urge Chivas to see sense and improve their offer and work with us to get this settled.”

Chivas has previously described the offer as ‘fair and reasonable’.