GMB union appeals for help to protect jobs of whisky workers

WHISKY workers’ union the GMB is urging the UK government to protect the £ 5 billion Scotch industry amid Brexit uncertainty.

The whisky and spirits industry directly supports more than 40,000 UK jobs, according to GMB figures, with a further es- timated 120,000 jobs connected with whisky production and export, including 7,000 jobs in rural areas where other work is hard to find.

Ten per cent of exports – £400 million – go to markets such as Colombia, Mexico and South Korea, where trade agreements were brokered through the EU, the union stated, and it fears these ‘lucrative’ exports could become subject to ‘punishing tariffs’ following Brexit.

The GMB has called on Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell to reassure the whisky industry, mirroring reassurances given to Nissan – ‘ an industry worth around £2.9 billion supporting 28,000 jobs overall’.

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland organiser, said: ‘Whisky is a massive success story for Scot- land – and the UK – but we need the government to back us up in the months and years ahead.

‘ Westminster was quick to pledge support for Nissan – which is also vital for the economy – but is frankly dwarfed by the size of the whisky industry.

‘ We need parity for workers in our whisky industry and the same guarantees that were given to Nissan. Tens of thousands of jobs depend on whisky and the government needs to take action to protect our members’ livelihoods, post-Brexit. We cannot do without this industry.’

In response, the UK government spokesperson said: ‘Scotch whisky is a driving force of our food and drink industry, accounting for nearly one- quarter of all our food and drink exports each year. With the USA now the biggest market for Scotch, and exports to India up 28 per cent in the first half of 2016, the industry’s global success is set to continue.

‘As we prepare to leave the EU, there has never been a better time to become more outward-looking – developing new trading relationships and establishing our place as a truly global Britain.’