Whisky workers to strike over holiday dispute

Whisky workers will strike at a major bottling hall after accusing management of reducing their holidays.

A ballot of workers at John Dewar & Sons, in Glasgow, revealed nine out of ten back industrial action after the company changed how annual leave is calculated.

GMB Scotland, representing the workers, has told management the first day of strike action will take place on Tuesday. 

The union, one of the biggest in the drinks sector, said 80% of the workers voting in the formal ballot, with a turnout of 57%, backed strikes at the plant, in London Road, if no agreement can be reached while 88% backed industrial action short of strikes.

The dispute comes after the company decided holiday entitlement will now be calculated in hours instead of days with one day's holiday being the equivalent of seven hours and 12 minutes.

Daniel Reid, GMB organiser, said the changes were unfair, imposed without agreement and could mean workers losing holidays.

He called on the company, owned by multinational Bacardi, to now halt the changes and engage with workers to find agreement.

He said: “At every stage, our members have engaged constructively with the company on this proposal and accepted the suggested change from days to hours.

“What is unacceptable and unfair is suggesting a day’s holiday equals a working day when our members work shifts when some days are longer than others.”

The changes to how annual entitlement is calculated means workers may lose holidays if they take time off when they should be working longer back or night shifts.

Reid said: “Our members’ holiday entitlement must reflect the reality of their working lives not what works best on a company spreadsheet.

“Instead, our members risk losing holidays with no good reason or justification.

“This is a skilled and committed workforce but are being asked to accept the unacceptable.

“The resounding backing for industrial action to halt these changes is no surprise and we would urge the company to resume constructive dialogue to find a way forward.”

John Dewar & Sons, formed in 1846, was bought by multinational Bacardi for almost £2 billion in 1998 and is a key brand for the multinational drinks giant including Dewars, a best-selling whisky, and distilleries at Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Royal Brackla, and Macduff.