More than 500 Unite members and GMB members are to take strike action in series of 24 hour stoppages at various Chivas Brothers whisky production facilities across Scotland.
The series of strikes will take place between 11 and 14 December after they rejected a pay offer.
Staff in the Highlands will strike on 12 December at Aberlour, Glenlivet, Strathisla, Glentauchers, Braeval, Miltonduff and Dalmunach distilleries and Keith bonds sites.
Unions are warning that the series of strike action could hit Christmas supplies, however Chivas Brothers has said the planned industrial action “will have no impact on end-of-year orders.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Chivas Brothers has made eye-watering profits and it can easily afford to offer our members a significantly better offer.
“Its failure to make a fair offer is a classic example of a company putting profits before people.
“Unite does what it says on the trade union tin and always prioritises the jobs, pay and conditions of its members.
“The workers at Chivas will receive the union’s complete support.”
Unite industrial officer Andrew Brown, said: “Unite has repeatedly warned Chivas Brothers that strike action is inevitable unless the current pay offer was improved. It has not listened to our members and now industrial action is a matter of weeks away.
“The company should be in no doubt that our members are determined to get their fair share of the hundreds of millions in profit Chivas Brothers is coining in.
“The strike action Unite has announced will have a major impact on the company’s ability to supply premier brands over the festive season.”
David Hume, GMB Scotland organiser, said: “In a cost-of-living crisis, our members are unwilling to accept what is effectively a pay cut when this company is making huge profits and reporting record sales.
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“Those profits and those sales are only made possible by the skill, expertise and hard work of our members and they deserve an offer that recognises that.”
A Chivas Brothers spokesperson said: “Although we have now been served notice of industrial action, we remain committed to our pay proposal, which – when combined with last year’s increase – would see salaries increase above the CPI and CPIH inflation average over the last two financial years.
“While we remain open to constructive dialogue to see this matter reach a fair and reasonable resolution, we have already put in place the necessary measures to ensure our continued business operations, minimising any impact to our customers around the world.
“Considering the proximity to the festive season, and our business resilience plans, we are confident the planned action will have no impact on end-of-year orders, most of which have already shipped globally.”
