Chivas Dumbarton bottling workers set strike date

The bottling plant in Dumbarton is being expanded

Workers at a whisky bottling plant in Dumbarton are to strike on 7 August.

The union Unite said the action at the Kilmalid site was in response to a pay offer from Chivas Regal.

Unite has accused the company of "ignoring the voice of its workforce" who rejected the offer of a four-year deal on pay.

An overtime ban is already in place at the bottling plant, which is being expanded as the company moves work there from Paisley.

The firm has offered the workforce a four-year pay deal, with a 1.5% increase in the first year. The increase in subsequent years would be an average of the CPIH official measure of inflation for 2017- 2019.

Chivas last year announced plans to invest £40m at the Dumbarton plant.

'Rejected overwhelmingly'

It will be part of a three-year programme which will see all operations moves from Paisley to Kilmalid.

Unite official Elaine Dougall said: "Our members are angry that this offer which was tabled on 18 July and was rejected overwhelmingly in a ballot by 86% fails to recognise the contribution our members make to the success of Chivas.

"We will continue to press hard for a settlement to this dispute until the eleventh hour but our members are clear: they want to see a significantly improved offer and harmonisation of terms and conditions on the table before they will consider withdrawing from industrial action.

"This dispute will only be settled if our members get a genuine commitment from the company which is an improvement on its recent offer."

She added: "Unite would urge Chivas to see sense and improve their offer and work with us to get this dispute settled."