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Chivas Brothers Faces Holiday Strikes
Workers at two unions representing Chivas Brothers workers have voted in favor of going on strike during the holiday season. 91 percent of Unite members voted in favor of the strike, while 89 percent of GMB Scotland members voted in favor.
The unions represent around 800 workers at Chivas Brothers distilleries and bottling plants around Scotland, and rejected the company’s offer of a 6.4% wage increase in October.
In a statement, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said “strike action at Chivas Brothers is inevitable unless the current pay offer is improved. Chivas made an eye-watering profit last year, and it can easily afford to offer our members a significantly better offer. Unite will back our Chivas Brothers members all the way in the fight for better jobs, pay and conditions.”
The Pernod Ricard Scotch Whisky unit faces two weeks’ notice of strikes by both unions, which are expected to time their actions around the critical holiday period in December. The unions claim their strikes could disrupt bottling halls and shipments to shops, hotels, and bars during the holidays.
In a comment to just-drinks.com, a Chivas Brothers spokesperson said end-of-year orders have already shipped, meaning strikes would have little impact on the festive season.
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