MORE than 170 jobs are at risk as a drinks giant behind a number of prominent Scottish whisky distilleries is reportedly set to axe staff.
Diageo, which owns 31 Scottish distilleries, has announced that 172 distillery workers are at risk of redundancy – warning that 38 of those roles could potentially progress to job losses.
The National understands that the consultation process is ongoing.
Union bosses at GMB Scotland, meanwhile, have accused the company of “rejecting alternatives to compulsory redundancies and ignoring the risk to rural communities across the Highlands and Islands”.
They said that the jobs at risk include key distilleries including Cardhu, Port Ellen and Dufftown.
Lesley-Anne Macaskill, GMB Scotland organiser in the Highlands and Islands, said: “We have now had five meetings with the company to discuss its plans but there has been no serious attempt to engage with our members’ concerns or modify its plans in any way.
“This has not been a genuine consultation but a box-ticking exercise by a company intent on steam-rollering through job losses to a plan that has already been decided.
“The absolute refusal to engage with our members’ concerns is a morally bankrupt betrayal of a skilled, experienced and committed workforce.”
Diageo is set to announce its financial results on Thursday.
A Diageo spokesperson said: “In February, at our interim results, we shared our intention to redesign our operating framework, to drive sustainable returns for shareholders by delivering a more competitive Diageo.
“In the UK, we are still in consultation on this and no decisions have been made. We will always prioritise informing our colleagues of any organisational changes first and have committed to update shareholders on our progress at a Capital Markets Day on 6 August.”
