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Dewar’s workers to vote on strike action

GMB Scotland will ballot members at Bacardi-owned John Dewar & Sons following claims the firm unfairly withheld a pay increase from 17 workers.

Aberfeldy-Distillery
Aberfeldy distillery in Perthshire is part of the Dewar’s group

Dewar’s operates five distilleries in Scotland: Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Macduff and Royal Brackla. Around 300 people work at the sites.

Members of the union had voted to accept a 6.9% pay increase, however GMB claims that following the vote, Dewar’s said “the pay grade system of its multinational owners, Bacardi, meant the full rise could not be added to the salaries of those workers”.

Those 17 workers allegedly were given half of the rise, with an additional one-off bonus.

Gary Cook, GMB Scotland’s senior organiser in engineering and manufacturing, said: “This was an issue that only came to light after negotiations ended and agreement had apparently been reached.

“Our members have some grave concerns about that and it is easy to understand why. They had only narrowly voted to accept this rise before discovering some colleagues would not receive it in full.

“Negotiations must proceed in a spirit of trust and transparency and for an issue like this to arise at such a late stage can only damage that trust.

“Of course, the 17 workers should be given the same rise as their colleagues but this is also about trust between workers and management and for negotiations to be carried out in good faith.

“Managers need to understand the importance of trust and protect it.”

The Spirits Business has reached out to Bacardi for comment.

Earlier this month, GMB Scotland announced it was balloting workers at Whyte & Mackay-owned Dalmore, Invergordon and Tamnavulin distilleries on strike action.

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