Diageo: Unite workers accept pay deal

Diageo operates distilleries and bottling plants across Scotland

Diageo workers who are members of Unite have accepted a revised pay offer, the union has confirmed.

They make up about 500 of the 3,000 strong workforce in distilleries and bottling plants across Scotland.

GMB Scotland also consulted its Diageo members on the deal but the result has not yet been announced.

A spokeswoman for the drinks firm said it was pleased that Unite members had accepted their "good and strong" pay offer.

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Workers had been set to walk out on strike earlier this month after rejecting an offer of 2.8%.

However it was halted when management made an 11th-hour offer to the unions.

The two year deal, which included a 3% pay rise in 2019, backdated to July, has now been accepted by Unite workers.

Their 2020 award will be based on the retail price index for May next year.

Diageo is said to export seven bottles of Johnnie Walker a second out of the country

"The offer is a two-year commitment which ensures our members' pay does not fall below the cost of living," said Unite regional industrial officer Bob MacGregor.

"This is the least the workers deserve because it's their hard work and dedication which has driven Diageo towards record profits.

"Unite hopes this agreement can help press the reset button on our relationship with Diageo and it ensures the company pays its workforce what it deserves in the future, rather than having to be dragged into doing so."

A spokeswoman for Diageo said: "It is a good and strong offer that ensures our employees receive an increase on their pay while maintaining the competitiveness of our operations.

"This enables us to move forward to progress the other aspects of the two-year agreement which will shape the future of our employee relations."

Diageo operates dozens of sites north of the border, including distilleries in Perthshire, Fife, Aberdeenshire, the Isle of Skye, the Black Isle and Argyll and Bute.

It announced pre-tax profits of more than £2bn earlier this year, and plans to build a whisky tourism centre in Edinburgh's Princes Street.