GUINNESS-lovers will still be able to enjoy a pint or two at home over the Christmas period despite strike action by staff at a Belfast cannery.
90 workers at the Diageo plant off the Castlereagh Road in East Belfast have stopped work in a pay dispute. The trade union Unite said the industrial action would continue until December 20 unless a resolution is found.
A spokesperson for Diageo said seasonal contingency plans the company has in place will ensure that the supermarket and off-licence shelves will have enough Guinness over the holiday period – including the hugely popular Guinness 0-0 – to keep consumers happy.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "It [Diageo] can afford to level up its workers' pay but has chosen to put profits before people.
"It needs to recognise the determination of this workforce to win fair pay and make a fair pay offer."
The Union says Diageo is "one of the largest and most profitable drinks companies in the world," this year posting worldwide net profits profits of $2.5bn.
Regional officer for Unite, Michael Keenan, said staff at the Diageo plant are getting little more than the minimum wage.
"Workers here aren't being treated as fairly as their counterparts in England," he claimed.
A Diageo spokesperson said the company was "disappointed by the outcome of the vote" and claimed its offer was "more than fair and reasonable".
The firm added that the company remains "committed to constructive dialogue with the union and its representatives to reach a resolution that supports the long-term competitiveness of the packaging site and the interests of our people."
