Diageo staff in industrial action vote

Staff at a drinks giant have opted to hold industrial action in response to a pensions stand-off.

Workers at Diageo’s plants in the Wee County are amongst those who could strike over the proposed changes.

Union members voted for industrial action this week after the firm announced the closure of their final salary scheme earlier in the year.

GMB Scotland, which has 1,200 members working for Diageo, said members voted for strike action by a majority of 63 per cent and action short of strikes by a majority of 69.7 per cent.

Scotland organiser Louise Gilmour said:“Our members have sent a strong message to Diageo that the company needs to think again if it wants to avoid damaging strikes across Scotland. Diageo is happy to significantly increase executive pay in the wake of billions of pounds of profit but they won’t protect the pensions of the workforce who have contributed massively towards the success of the business.”

Unite, which has more than 700 members at Diageo sites around the UK, said its ballot showed 82 per cent in favour of industrial action short of a strike, and 77 per cent in favour of strike action.

Diageo has moved to impose the closure of its long-standing final salary scheme and will also close its‘lifestyle plan’scheme to new entrants, while introducing a new and inferior defined contribution scheme.

The firm employ hundreds of staff at their sites including Menstrie, Blackgrange, Cambus and Alloa. A spokesman said:“This is clearly disappointing and the company feels premature whilst we were in ongoing discussions.

“The company and employees are in a consultative process and have not yet moved into consultation on the alternative proposal.

“It is also far from the positive industrial relations of past decades that the company has had with its employees and which has helped build the reputation our supply business has today.”