Around 90 Diageo workers based in Belfast are on strike in a dispute over what they deemed an inadequate pay offer.
Strike action began at 7am on Friday 12 December and will continue for eight days until the early hours of Saturday 19 December.
The staff at the Northern Ireland plant, which produces Guinness Zero, are members of trade union Unite. They overwhelmingly voted to reject a previous pay offer from their management and to take further strike action.
A previous eight-day strike was due to commence on Friday 5 December, but was suspended by workforce representatives to allow consideration of a new pay offer made the day before. The ballot closed on Monday 8 December. This planned strike action followed a unanimous 100% ballot rejection of a previous pay offer.
The workers decided to strike as they are seeking a pay deal to end the pay gap with Diageo’s site in Runcorn.
A Diageo spokesperson said: “We respect the right of employees to take industrial action. We remain open to constructive dialogue with union representatives to reach a resolution that supports the packaging site’s long-term competitiveness and the interests of our people. To reiterate, there will be no disruption to the supply of Guinness or Guinness 0.0 over the Christmas period as a result of this strike action.’’
Sharon Graham, general secretary at Unite, added: “Diageo is one of the largest and most profitable drinks businesses in the world. It can afford to level up its workers’ pay but has chosen to put profits before people. Now it will see empty shelves as our members take to the picket line and shut down their factories. It needs to recognise the determination of this workforce to win fair pay and make a fair pay offer.”
Michael Keenan, regional officer at Unite, said: “Management needs to stop disrespecting our members and return to the negotiating table with an offer that meets workers’ pay expectations.”
