Diageo unions step up fight for jobs
10th September 2009
Joint trade unions at Diageo have vowed to intensify their
campaign to save jobs across the drinks giant’s Scottish based
operations.
The reaction comes after yesterday’s announcement by the company
to reject the Scottish government’s alternative business plan and
proceed with the closure of its Kilmarnock and Port Dundas sites at
a cost of 900 local jobs.
Meetings involving workforce representatives from both Unite and
the GMB trade union have been on-going in the last 24 hours and
there is extreme anger at the timing of Diageo’s announcement.
Unite national officer for the food and retail sector, Jennie
Formby, said: “If Diageo thinks trade union members are going to
meekly accept this decision to strip away their livelihoods in the
pursuit of corporate greed then they are very much mistaken.
“The joint trade unions have met over the last 24 hours and the
collective resolve to continue the fight for these jobs has only
been intensified. We have 100 per cent unity among the workforce
across every Scottish site, from Kilmarnock to Leven, and our anger
is tangible.
“By announcing the closure of the Kilmarnock and Port Dundas
sites before the end of the 90-day statutory consultation process
Diageo could not have insulted this workforce any more. We have
requested an extension to the consultation process and will
continue to fight for every possible alternative approach.
“Our members can be assured that we will exhaust every avenue
and strain every sinew to save these jobs - this campaign still has
a very long way to go and we are more than up for the fight.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Jennie Formby on 07702
206436 / Peter Welsh on 07810 157931 or Ashraf Choudhury in the
Unite Press Office on 020 7420 8914 or 07980 224761
Email to a friend
