Port Dundas coopers tell Glasgow leaders, we need your help to
fight Diageo job cuts
12th August 2009
Photo-opportunity: Friday, 14th August, 2009, 1.30pm
Glasgow Council Chambers, George Square, Glasgow
Workers from Diageo’s Port Dundas cooperage and distillery will
tell Glasgow city leaders on Friday (14th August) that they need
the council's assistance to save 200 jobs at the city site.
Around 200 jobs at the south Glasgow plant could be lost, if
global drinks company Diageo gets its way on plans to restructure
its Scottish business.
Diageo's proposals have caused outrage across Scotland and among
whisky-lovers worldwide as they also involve the closure of the
home of Johnnie Walker in Kilmarnock and the ‘contracting out’ of
delivery jobs.
The Port Dundas workers will press Glasgow city council leaders
for its support in their fight to save jobs. Speaking ahead of the
meeting with the local authority, Billy Parker, Unite regional
officer, said: "Understandably a great deal of attention has been
focused up to now on the fact that Diageo wants to ditch its
attachment to its historic home in Kilmarnock.
"But Diageo's proposed betrayal of Scotland's workers will hit
Glasgow too.
"With 200 jobs hanging in the balance, we are here today to ask
Glasgow council to lend its every support to the fight to keep
these men and women in work. Our fear is that Diageo is cutting
these jobs because it wants to get its hands on some prime land but
the Scottish people would rather have decent jobs than flash
flats.
"Unite is saying loud and clear to Diageo - you must do the
right thing by all your plants in Scotland, and that includes the
cooperage and distillery in Glasgow."
This week Unite launched a massive email campaign to galvanise
support for the Diageo workers across the union movement and
whisky-lovers worldwide. The digital campaign is being assisted by
the team that helped President Obama build his grassroots support,
Blue State Digital.
ENDS
For further information please contact Billy Parker, who will be
with the workers on the day, on 07958514695 or Mark Di-Toro in the
Unite press office on 07918 640 579
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