Nearly all of Diageo’s employees are thought to have rejected a 2.5% pay increase, which after a secondary offer of 2.8% also fell short of expectations, strikes are expected to take place at Leven, Cameronbridge and Shieldhall from September – November.
Unite regional industrial officer Bob MacGregor said: “Unite has received a clear and strong mandate for industrial action from our membership in Diageo’s largest distilling and bottling plants in Scotland.
“The recent announcement in July of an increase in pre-tax profits to £4.2bn alongside Diageo’s refusal to give a fair pay award has rightly infuriated the workers.
“Unite would urge Diageo to get back round the negotiating table with a new offer which fairly rewards its workers who have earned these massive profits for the company. If they do not, then Diageo’s operations will needlessly grind to a halt in the coming weeks.”
A spokesperson for Diageo added: “We have well-developed contingency plans in the event of industrial action but remain committed to seeking a resolution and ensuring our employees receive an increase on their pay, alongside maintaining the competitiveness of our operations.
“We are a very good employer and aim to ensure our staff are rewarded competitively; our pay and benefits for our bargaining group employees are in the top quartile for manufacturing in Scotland.”
