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Unite responds to Diageo
Diageo responded to the thousands who sent off messages of protest - here is Unite's answer to Diageo's response:
We note the response of Diageo to the emails sent to CEO Paul Walsh by thousands of ordinary people protesting about their plans to sack over 900 workers. In that response, Diageo tries to justify their actions as being essential to protect jobs and guarantee the sustainability of the business in Scotland.
The truth is that Diageo is a massively wealthy and profitable company that is prepared to reward senior executives by making them multi-millionaires at the same time as consigning whole communities to the scrap heap of long term unemployment, with their sole motivation being opportunistic greed and a will to increase their wealth still further.
Diageo also continues to perpetuate the myth that 400 new jobs will be created at Leven – in fact nearly half of those jobs will be temporary or short term contracts, providing no security for those workers and no compensation when they are tossed back onto the dole.
The ‘extensive review’ carried out before the proposals were made that was quoted in MD Bryan Donaghey’s response was carried out by management in secret without union involvement, and worked on over many months before dropping the bombshell of the announcement on the 1st July – something the senior Diageo management then publicly boasted was a done deal that nothing could change.
Not only are Diageo workers and their families and friends not prepared to accept the decimation of jobs and communities that is inevitable if these plans come to fruition, but the condemnation of their actions is now spreading worldwide. More and more people from all continents have been pledging their support and making it clear that they are not prepared to stand by and say nothing.
The famous Johnnie Walker brand is now being seriously tarnished by the actions of Diageo management and the potential damage to the brand will far outweigh the short term gain to be achieved from the current proposals.
We urge Diageo to think again, to meaningfully engage with the trade unions and the workforce and reverse the closure plans immediately.
Last updated 354 days ago by Eric Lee
Dave Plummer
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How the hell can they even try to justify this? Absolutely no concern for human beings whatsoever, sop long as the bottom line keeps getting healthier.
I already had issues with Diageo because of their sponsorship (via Red Stripe) of a Jamaican music festival which played host to folk such as Beenie Man, Vybz Cartel and Bounty Killer, all of who have used their lyrics to incite homophobia. When I asked Diageo to publicly apologise and agree not to sponsor such people again they just referred me to their (albeit pretty good) corporate responsibility and diversity policies.
After months of email exchanges and phone calls I got no where. Unfortunately I was very, very new to trade union activism at the time and didn't realise how much support I could have got had I decided to get a campaign going. Ah well, one lives and learns.
Hopefully Diageo will be taught a lesson this time instead.
Dave Plummer 354 days ago