Macallan engineers to strike next week
Key workers at some of Edrington’s Speyside distilleries, including The Macallan, have announced weeks of strike action beginning 10 November.
GMB Scotland represents engineers at the Scotch distilleries and has planned 22 days of action throughout November, December and January.
The union balloted the 12-strong team in September, which resulted in 100% support for industrial action.
The first bout of action will be a seven-day strike from next Monday (10 November).
GMB Scotland has accused managers of imposing a five-day working week without agreement and despite ‘widespread’ concerns. The team have worked a four-day work week for two years at the suggestion of the company. The change means they are now working 40 more days a year without extra payment.
The union also calculated that the switch has doubled the time spent on call, decreased workers’ allowances by £5,000 (US$6,568) and increased expenses like childcare and travel.
A consultation on the changes began in January. However, the new rotas were imposed in August. Management allegedly claimed the changes were necessary to provide more emergency cover.
Lesley-Anne MacAskill, GMB Scotland organiser in the Highlands, said: “Our members are absolutely united in their determination to protect the rota from needless and hugely disruptive change.
“The unanimous support for action is only one indication of how badly managers have handled this issue and the determination of workers to find a fairer way forward.
“Their willingness to mount sustained industrial action over a period of months is another.
“Our members have been ordered to work more days for less money and endure wide-ranging disruption to their lives for no good reason or practical purpose.
“If managers are surprised by the overwhelming willingness to take strike action, they shouldn’t be.
“Our members have engaged with negotiations, but every one of their constructive suggestions for alternative rotas was summarily rejected. This is a small team of skilled workers critical to the successful operation of these distilleries, and their expert voice should be heard and heeded.”
The engineers are based at The Macallan Distillery in Craigellachie, the Glenrothes Distillery in Rothes, and Parkmore in Dufftown.
A spokesman for Edrington said: “We are deeply disappointed that the GMB ballot has chosen to take industrial action. We have been in constant dialogue with the 12 engineers involved since January and we have already made significant changes and compromises to our original proposal.
“We have a responsibility to balance the requirements of our distillery operations in a way that is fair to all our people and the compromises on working hours for our engineering team are now appropriately aligned with the other teams and the needs of the business.”
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