E-Malt.com News article: UK: Diageo accused of refusing to engage with workers to ease impact of job losses

GMB Scotland has accused Diageo of refusing to engage with workers and ease the impact of job losses at its Scotch distilleries, The Spirits Business reported on August 5.

The union, which is one of the biggest in the drinks sector, said the British firm has rejected alternatives to compulsory redundancies and is ignoring the risk to rural communities across the Highlands and Islands.

Diageo has placed 172 distillery workers in the region at risk of redundancy and warned 38 could lose their jobs as part of its global restructuring.

Another 150 jobs are at risk in Ireland.

In Scotland, Diageo has just completed a four-week consultation with workers. However, GMB claims no agreement has been reached on the number of potential job losses or the redundancy process.

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-rolling 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.”

The union claimed it has repeatedly raised the possibility of voluntary redundancies or job-sharing to reduce job losses, but executives have refused to consider these options.

MacAskill said: “We detailed a number of measures routinely used across the industry to reduce redundancies and ease the uncertainty of workers, but every other option was rejected out of hand.

“Our members understand the company must respond to changing demand, but that can be done with respect, fairness and genuine consultation. Instead, it has refused to listen or alter its plans in any way.

“It became clear during this sham of a consultation that Diageo executives in the room had no authority to review the proposed redundancies.

“It became obvious the decisions have already been taken elsewhere, miles away from the rural communities where the impact of these redundancies will be felt.”

Distillery workers at risk will now enter a scoring process before individual meetings.

The union has formally rejected the consultation process and has written to politicians across the Highlands and Islands warning of the impact of the redundancies on rural communities.

Distilleries at risk of job cuts include Cardhu, Cragganmore, Port Ellen, and Dufftown.

Consultation on redundancies is ongoing at the company’s other production, bottling and distribution sites in Scotland.

Diageo’s chief executive, Dave Lewis, is expected to deliver a strategic update on his restructuring plan later this week.


05 August, 2026