Fears are mounting over the prospect of a Guinness-free Christmas now brewery workers will strike for eight days in December (Picture: Bryn Colton/Getty Images)
Guinness fans might have just one thing on their Christmas lists as workers at the pub favourite’s Belfast site have voted to strike.
At least 90 workers will join the picket lines from December 5 until the early hours of December 13.
They are demanding that Diageo, which owns Guinness, closes the ‘pay gap’ with employees at its Runcorn site in Cheshire.
Trade union Unite said the UK is now facing a Guinness Zero drought this Christmas.
Unite said the UK is now facing a Guinness Zero drought this Christmas (Picture: Bryn Colton/Getty Images)
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Unite 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.’
Regional officer Michael Keenan added that the 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,’ he added.
The trade union said that Diageo’s Belfast site is the ‘largest production site for Diageo’s highly successful Guinness Zero product’.
‘This year Diageo reported net profits of more than $2.5billion [£1.8billion] globally and a key driver of that success is Guinness Zero – the UK’s best-selling alcohol-free beer.’
Diageo said there will be ‘no disruption to the supply of Guinness’ (Picture Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Diageo confirmed to Metro that there will be no disruption to the supply of Guinness products over Christmas.
The Belfast site on Marshalls Road is a packaging site, meaning staff can and bottle beer rather than brew it, according to company records.
Diageo added: ‘We have contingency plans in place to manage any potential impact at our can packaging site in Belfast.
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‘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.’
Last Christmas, pubs faced having to introduce rationing on Guinness due to ‘exceptional demand’ for the black stuff.
Boozers were warned by pub groups about the prospect of limited stock last Christmas.
Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin said at the time: ‘The gods of fashion have smiled upon Guinness, previously consumed by blokes my age but now widely adopted by younger generations.’
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