The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Diageo workers to strike after pay talks collapse.
Union announces action at Diageo’s Fife plants as company refuses to increase 2.8% boost to salaries
Diageo workers in Fife will strike later this month following a collapse in pay talks.
Industrial action will hit all of Diageo’s Scottish operations after union representatives served statutory notice to the company yesterday afternoon.
The drinks company has a number of sites in Kirkcaldy and Leven, most notably its bottling plant at Banbeath and the distillery at Cameronbridge.
Strikes at Leven and Cameronbridge will run from 8am on September 18 and finish the following day at 7.59am.
The company – whose brands include Smirnoff, Bailey’s, Johnnie Walker and Guinness – said it had contingency plans for the industrial action.
Last month, 80.5% of GMB’s near1,000 members supported strike action after months of pay talks ended with Diageo tabling a 2.8% final offer for staff across its Scottish operations.
More than 500 Diageo employees are with Unite the union, who also backed strike action in last month’s ballot.
Talks mediated by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) collapsed last Friday after Diageo failed to improve their pay offer.
GMB Scotland organiser Keir Greenaway accused Diageo of “insatiable corporate greed”.
He said: “Our campaign for a pay deal that beats the cost of living for our members and their families is a modest proposal against the backdrop of Diageo’s absolutely staggering financial results, which workers in Scotland have more than helped to deliver.
“A huge chunk of Diageo’s credibility and success is built on the back of Scotland and the working class and rural communities that distil, mature, store and bottle their lucrative range of whiskies and white spirits.
“Diageo must get real on pay or they will be hit with a sustained wave of strike action affecting many of their most profitable brands.”
Unite regional industrial officer Bob MacGregor claimed Diageo had made “minimal effort” to resolve the dispute and said this was the “central reason” why talks broke down last week.
He said: “Unite warned weeks ago that unless Diageo made a fair offer then our membership would take strike action. We have now reached that point.
“The door always remains open to further negotiations but strike action is now imminent.”
Diageo employs around 3,000 staff in Scotland of which 1,000 are based in Fife.
A company spokesperson said the firm had “well developed” contingency plans for the industrial action.
The spokesperson added: “We are a very good employer and remain committed to seeking a resolution and ensuring our employees receive an increase on their pay, alongside maintaining the competitiveness of our operations.”
“Diageo must get real on pay or they will be hit with a sustained wave of strike action affecting many of their most profitable brands