The Scotch Whisky Producer Behind Several Major Brands Could See Business Grind to a Halt This Summer Due to Striking Employees

Employees working for the parent company of Dalmore have threatened a strike action after the brand’s parent company’s counter offer. (Photo: Press Association via AP Images)

BBC reported that Whyte & Mackay might be experiencing a “hot strike summer” after 82% of employees at three distilleries voted in favor of strike action after the company offered a pay hike between 6% and 7%. Whyte & Mackay is the parent company behind significant brands like The Dalmore, Jura, Fettercairn and Tamnavulin.

“We told Whyte & Mackay today to expect a summer of strike action with our members united and determined their work is fairly recognized,” GMB Scotland Organizer Lesley-Anne MacAskill said. “Their support for action is overwhelming but unsurprising given the company’s refusal to properly reward them for the work that has helped generate record-breaking profits.”

The strikes are set to take place at distilleries in Tamnavoulin, Alness and Invergorden and will commence on June 24. 11 additional strike days are scheduled for July and two weeks are planned for August.

Initial talks about a potential strike action started in February after the outlet reported that 94% of union members voted in favor of striking after White & Mackay offered a pay raise of between 5% and 6%.

Members of the GMB Scotland Union referred to the pay raise as “an insult” and claimed they would strike if the company did not offer them fair pay.

The action has continued to escalate since, and Drinks International reported in May that Whyte & Mackay workers voted overwhelmingly in favor of the strike action.

“The support for industrial action at Whyte & Mackay is overwhelming but unsurprising,” MacAskill said. “Our members’ work has driven the company to record-breaking profits but has not been recognized or fairly rewarded in pay negotiations. Whyte & Mackay is celebrating unprecedented commercial success while our members continue to endure a cost of living crisis while being paid less than workers across the industry.”

Whyte & Mackay explained the company intended to meet this week and find a compromise.

“We have been informed of proposed strike action by GMB at three sites,” Whyte & Mackay Head of Communication and Corporate Affairs Kieran Healy-Ryder said in a news release. “However, negotiations continue and all sides agreed to meet this week, with the intention to explore if there is a way forward that may mitigate industrial action, or to confirm if we have indeed now exhausted collective bargaining. We have in the meantime prepared plans to mitigate the impact of stakeholder groups.”

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