Diageo threatens 38 of 172 Scottish distillery jobs

A global spirits company has placed 172 distillery jobs in Scotland at risk of redundancy, with 38 positions potentially being cut, prompting strong criticism from a union over the impact on rural communities. Diageo, which operates 31 distilleries across Scotland and accounts for about a third of the country's whisky production, is proposing the cuts as part of a wider plan to redesign its operating framework.

The GMB Scotland union stated that a four-week consultation period concluded last week without agreement on the number of potential job losses or the redundancy process. The union said the at-risk roles are spread across distilleries in the Highlands and Islands, including sites at Cardhu, Cragganmore, Port Ellen, Islay, and Dufftown. Union leaders have formally rejected the consultation process, accusing the company of a "box-ticking exercise" and refusing to consider alternatives to compulsory redundancies.

Lesley-Anne Macaskill, GMB Scotland organiser for the Highlands and Islands, said the union had detailed measures such as voluntary redundancies or job-sharing but claimed every option was rejected. She stated that after five meetings with the company, there had been...