Workers at drinks firm Diageo to be balloted on strike action

Workers at drinks giant Diageo are to be balloted on strike action in a row over pay.

Talks between the firm behind brands like Johnny Walker, Smirnoff and Gordon's and union bosses have broken down.

A deal with a pay rise of 2.5% was rejected last week, as was an improved offer of 2.8%.

Unite has announced that 500 workers at Diageo's Cameron Bridge, Leven and Shieldhall sites will begin to vote on industrial action from Monday - along with 1000 members of the GMB union across Scotland.

Unite regional industrial officer Bob McGregor said: “Unite willingly entered the talks with Diageo through Acas in an effort to get the company to seriously revise their paltry pay offer.

"During these talks it soon became clear that no progress would be made because the company have attempted to repackage the pay offer making it appear more generous.

"The reality is that the latest offer is just as insulting as the previous one, and our members won’t be conned or denied what they deserve.

"Unite’s members will be balloted from next week and Diageo will face inevitable industrial action from next month unless they seriously get back round the negotiating table.”

GMB Scotland Organiser Keir Greenaway said: "Tomorrow we’ll see Diageo announce billions in profit, built on the backs of our members who deliver for the company every single day.

"Yet Diageo seem to expect our members to swallow pay cuts - in effect topping up their profits by making their workers poorer.

"That's money that should rightly have been going to these workers and being spent in communities across Scotland, but would instead be funnelled towards investors in the City of London.

"Diageo need to get real. If anyone can afford to reward their employees with a wage rise that beats the rising cost of living, it’s Diageo.

"They need to come back with an offer that reflects the value the workers bring to the business, and shows them the respect they deserve."

As well as their two sites in Fife, Diageo is in the process of constructing a new flagship wishky visitor centre at the west end of Edinburgh's Princes Street.

Both union's ballots on strike action will open on Monday and close on August 16.

A Diageo spokesman said: "We met with representatives of the GMB and Unite unions for further discussions on pay negotiations facilitated by ACAS.

"Despite improving our offer, the unions did not move from their position to enable meaningful discussions to take place.

"We remain committed to seeking a resolution and ensuring our employees receive an increase on their pay, alongside maintaining the competitiveness of our operations.

"As you would expect, we have well-developed contingency plans in place in the event of any strike action."