UK faces a ‘Christmas Guinness scarcity’ resulting from strike, union bosses warn
Union bosses claim there could be a Guinness drought after workers at Belfast beer packaging plant voted to down tools for eight days in a festive run-up
Union bosses claim Britain faces a Guinness drought at Christmas after workers at one of the brewer’s plants announced an eight-day festive strike.
Around 90 staff at the brewery in Belfast are set to walkout from Friday December 5 until the early hours of Saturday December 13. Officials said staff had voted to down tools after rejecting an ‘inadequate pay offer’ by drinks giant Diageo which makes Guinness.
Northern Irish workers are demanding a ‘substantial increase’ to close an alleged pay gap with employees at the company’s site in Runcorn, Cheshire. Unite union chiefs claim the action could particularly hit supplies of Guinness 0.0 – the company’s alcohol-free brand.
A spokesman said Belfast was the largest production site for 0.0 – the ‘UK’s best-selling alcohol-free beer’.
“The UK is facing a Guinness zero drought this Christmas,” they added.
Unite chiefs said Diageo reported global net profits of £1.9bn with Guinness 0.0 sales a ‘key driver of that success’. General secretary Sharon Graham said: “Diageo is one of the largest and most profitable drinks companies in the world. It can fully afford to make workers a decent offer but has chosen to put profits before people.”
The union’s regional officer Michael Keenan said: “Diageo’s Belfast site is the world’s biggest producer of Guinness Zero and this strike action will severely disrupt production lines in the run-up to Christmas. Management needs to stop disrespecting our members and return to the negotiating table with an offer that meets workers’ pay expectations.”
Diageo insisted festive supplies would not be affected by the strike at its beer packaging plant.
A spokesman said: “There will be no disruption to the supply of Guinness or Guinness 0.0 in the run up to Christmas. We have contingency plans in place to manage any potential impact at our can packaging site in Belfast.
“While we are disappointed by the outcome of the ballot for industrial action at our can packaging site in Belfast we strongly believe that continued engagement is the best way of securing a resolution that recognises employees for their valued contribution, while ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the site.”
UK pubs struggled to get hold of Guinness last Christmas due to supply issues. Some started rationing while others ran out altogether.
The shortage was partly blamed on a sudden surge in demand due to a social media trend among Generation Z pub-goers desperate to post pictures online of them posing with pints of Guinness.
A source said Diageo was ‘currently supplying more Guinness 0.0 to the GB market than ever before’ despite some landlords revealing they have switched to rival Murphy’s claiming they can buy and sell it cheaper.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
