Inver House Distillers workers go on strike
Strike action by GMB members at Inver House Distillers in Scotland has begun after a 3% pay offer was rejected.
One of the whisky industry’s biggest unions, GMB Scotland, balloted its members at Inver House Distillers for strike action in March over a pay dispute.
The vote followed the rejection of a 3% pay offer from the firm, which is owned by InterBev, a subsidiary of ThaiBev. The union claimed Inver House Distillers refused to reopen negotiations or engage with conciliation service Acas.
In the ballot, 78% of GMB members, who are seeking a 4% pay rise, backed strikes, while 87% backed action short of strikes. The ballot saw a turnout of 71% of members.
GMB workers went on strike yesterday (10 April) at Inver House’s headquarters and maturation warehouse at Airdrie, Lanarkshire, and across its distilleries in Scotland.
GMB did not detail how many of its members took part in the strike, but an earlier statement from Inver House noted that 8% of its workforce (which equates to 25 employees) had voted for industrial action.
The union confirmed that “lengthier, more disruptive action” was being planned for next month if the two sides do not reach a resolution.
Inver House’s distilleries comprise Balblair, Balmenach, Knockdhu, Old Pulteney and Speyburn.
David Hume, GMB Scotland organiser in the whisky industry, said: “Workers hoping for fair and transparent negotiations have been failed by a management treating them with disdain.
“Whether they have been asleep at the wheel and stumbled into this dispute or are wilfully refusing to engage, the action today must be a wake-up call.
“The skilled workforce at Inver House deserves far better than a high-handed, dismissive response from a company built on their effort and commitment.”
‘Prolonged and disruptive’ strike
Hume called on Inver House’s management team to “engage quickly”, warning that this would “only be the start of far more prolonged and disruptive industrial action”.
He added: “They must engage with negotiations, return to the table and find a fair resolution.”
GMB also highlighted that Inver House’s parent company, ThaiBev, recorded profits of £600 million (US$785m) last year.
Inver House Distillers did not provide a statement but referred to previous comments it shared last month.
An Inver House spokesperson said the company was “disappointed” that some of its workers had voted in favour of strike action.
The previous statement read: “We have been fair in our approach to negotiations and would reiterate that this year’s pay rise was in line with inflation, as it is every year, and was accompanied by an annual bonus paid in December.
“While we respect the rights of the individuals who voted in favour for this industrial strike action – 25 people across six sites, which equates to 8% of our workforce – we take great pride in being a fair and supportive employer, and in the strength of our teams and workplace communities across Scotland.”
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