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Union accuses Whyte & Mackay of ‘dirty trick’

GMB Scotland members will strike at Whyte & Mackay distilleries next week, with the union accusing the firm of ‘disrespecting’ workers.

Whyte & Mackay Dalmore Distillery
Workers at The Dalmore distillery near The Cromarty Firth will strike next week (24 June)

The first day of strike action will be Monday 24 June, with a further 11 days in July and two weeks in August.

The industrial action comes following a pay dispute where workers at The Dalmore and Invergordon distilleries in Easter Ross and at Tamnavulin in Speyside initially rejected an ‘insulting’ pay offer in February, which 94% of GMB members voted against.

Whyte & Mackay upped the pay rise to 6.8%, plus improvement to benefits, but this revised offer was also rejected.

Earlier this week, Unite the Union revealed its members had accepted the new terms and called off strike action. Around 120 Unite members work at the firm’s Grangemouth bottling plant, Earlsgate distribution centre and Invergordon distillery. The majority of GMB’s members work in distilling.

Lesley-Anne MacAskill, GMB organiser
Lesley-Anne MacAskill, GMB organiser

Lesley-Ann MacAskill, GMB Scotland organiser in the Highlands, said: “The company’s public comments on this dispute have been noted by our members and will not be quickly forgotten or forgiven.

“The company’s rush to suggest distilleries are somehow less important than bottling and distribution operations was insulting and inflammatory.

“It should instead have been rushing to offer fair pay to our member because, without their skill and experience, there would be nothing to bottle and nothing to distribute.

“The company must understand that such ill-considered and disrespectful comments today will have consequences tomorrow.

“It was a dirty trick and an obvious attempt to divide the workforce. That is both disappointing and self-defeating because it has only hardened our members’ determination to be paid fairly.

“Whyte & Mackay is making record profits and expanding operations but is still paying workers less than other companies across the industry. Managers should address that issue before rushing to write another press release.”

GMB claims that Whyte & Mackay’s shareholders received almost £53 million (US$67m) in dividends between 2019 and 2022, while the highest-paid director was paid £710,000 (US$898,313) in 2022.

A spokesperson for Whyte & Mackay responded: “Whyte and Mackay’s priority is to resolve this dispute. We continue to engage both our trade union partners to reach a sustainable resolution. We are pleased to have reached agreement with Unite, however we are disappointed that this has not yet been possible with GMB.

“We do not recognise the substance of the statement regarding the negotiations. Whyte & Mackay has acted in accordance with legal advice, and approached the negotiation in an open and transparent manner throughout.

“We will be making no further comment at this time.”

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