Diageo Scottish strike the consequence of ‘insatiable corporate greed’
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
GMB Scotland Press Release
For immediate distribution: Tuesday 3 September 2019
Diageo Scottish strike the consequence of ‘insatiable corporate greed’
Strike action will hit all of Diageo’s Scottish operations later this month, after GMB Scotland served statutory notice to the company this afternoon (Tuesday 3 September) following the collapse of pay talks.
A rolling programme of action will start on Tuesday 17 September and run until Friday 27 September, severely affecting Diageo’s bottling, maturation and distillery operations across Scotland and disrupting the production of staple brands such as Johnnie Walker, Gordon’s & Smirnoff (see footnote for full schedule).
Last month, 80.5 per cent of GMB’s near 1,000 members supported moving to strike action after months of pay talks ended with Diageo tabling a 2.8 per cent ‘final offer’ for staff across it’s Scottish operations.
ACAS talks collapsed last Friday with Diageo refusing to improve the previously rejected offer, despite recent pre-tax profits of over £4.2 billion, a share buyback bonanza worth £4.5 billion and a remarkable 30 per cent pay increase for Chief Executive Ivan Menezes – a hike which takes his total pay to £11.7 million.
GMB Scotland Organiser Keir Greenaway said: “Strike action across Diageo’s Scottish operations is a consequence of the insatiable corporate greed within the hierarchy of this company.
“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.
“It begs the question: Why has the company spent months low-balling unions with pay offers that fail to tackle the cost of living? If any business can afford to make work pay for its employees it is Diageo.
“A rising tide should lift all boats but instead we have to suffer the grotesque spectacle of Ivan Menezes and his shareholders carving-up the spoils while workers in Scotland get thrown scraps from the fat cats’ table.
“It’s just not credible and we aren’t going to leave this unchallenged. 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.”
ENDS
Contact: GMB Scotland Organiser Keir Greenaway 07855 017842 or Peter Welsh, GMB Scotland Communications, on 07976 447077.
Notes to Editors:
The full schedule for strike action across Diageo’s Scottish operations is as follows:
All Maturation and Distillation sites except Cameronbridge Distillery - Tuesday 17th September 2019 commencing at 22.00 hours finishing at Wednesday 18th September 2019 at 21.59 hours. (Abercrombie, Auchroisk Distillery, Benrinnes Distillery, Blackgrange Bond, Blair Athol Distillery, Blythswood, Burghead Maltings, Cambus Cooperage, Caol Ila Distillery, Cardhu Distillery, Clynelish Distillery, Cragganmore Distillery, Dalwhinnie Distillery, Dufftown Distillery, Glen Elgin Distillery, Glen Ord Distillery, Glen Ord Maltings, Glen Spey Distillery, Glendullan Bio Plant, Glendullan Distillery, Glendullan Engineering Centre, Glenkinchie Distillery, Glenlossie Distillery, Inchgower Distillery, Knockando Distillery, Lagavulin Distillery, Linkwood Distillery, Mannochmore Distillery, Menstrie Bond, Moray House, Oban Distillery, Port Ellen Maltings, Roseisle Distillery, Roseisle Maltings, Royal Lochnagar Distillery and Talisker Distillery)
Leven and Cameronbridge - Wednesday 18th September 2019 commencing at 08.00 hours finishing at Thursday 19th September 2019 at 07.59 hours.
Shieldhall – Thursday 19th September 2019 commencing at 18.00 hours and finishing at Friday 20th at 17.59 hours
All Maturation and Distillation sites except Cameronbridge Distillery - Thursday 26th September 2019 commencing at 22.00 hours finishing at Friday 27thSeptember 2019 at 21.59 hours. (Abercrombie, Auchroisk Distillery, Benrinnes Distillery, Blackgrange Bond, Blair Athol Distillery, Blythswood, Burghead Maltings, Cambus Cooperage, Caol Ila Distillery, Cardhu Distillery, Clynelish Distillery, Cragganmore Distillery, Dalwhinnie Distillery, Dufftown Distillery, Glen Elgin Distillery, Glen Ord Distillery, Glen Ord Maltings, Glen Spey Distillery, Glendullan Bio Plant, Glendullan Distillery, Glendullan Engineering Centre, Glenkinchie Distillery, Glenlossie Distillery, Inchgower Distillery, Knockando Distillery, Lagavulin Distillery, Linkwood Distillery, Mannochmore Distillery, Menstrie Bond, Moray House, Oban Distillery, Port Ellen Maltings, Roseisle Distillery, Roseisle Maltings, Royal Lochnagar Distillery and Talisker Distillery)
Leven and Cameronbridge - Thursday 26th September 2019 commencing at 22.00 hours finishing at Friday 27th September 2019 at 21.59 hours.
Shieldhall – Thursday 26th September 2019 commencing at 18.00 hours and finishing at Friday 27th at 17.59 hours
