Unite announce strike at Fife distillery

Climate Crisis / 17 September 2026 Burnham insists he is ‘determined’ to reach net zero by 2050 17 September 2026 Far Right / 17 September 2026 Investigation finds fascist figures running Restore Britain’s Holborn & St Pancras by-election campaign 17 September 2026 Workers' Rights / 17 September 2026 Staff in government department to strike over office closures 17 September 2026 Economy / 17 September 2026 Badenoch blunders on Bank of England board 17 September 2026 Industrial / 17 September 2026 Court injunction sought against Butlin’s over alleged union intimidation and blacklisting 17 September 2026 Justice System / 17 September 2026 Charges dropped against pro-Palestine activists accused of intimidating jurors 17 September 2026 OVER 100 workers are set to strike at Europe’s largest grain distillery as they battle drinks giant Diageo’s job-cut plan.

Unite have announced that workers at Cameronbridge Distillery near Methil, Fife, will begin with an all-out strike on September 28, followed by successive days of targeted action by distillation and process controllers, distillery and machine operators, technicians, quality control analysts, process chemists and engineers until October 15.

The action comes after the drinks giant, which coined in almost £3 billion in pre-tax profit last year from sales of well-known brands such as Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray and Guinness, announced global restructuring plans putting dozens of roles at the site “under review.” 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite has repeatedly warned Diageo that there is no justification for slashing hundreds of jobs across its operations when it is raking in hundreds of millions of profit.”

Unite deputy Scottish secretary Dougie Maguire added: “It really is last orders for Diageo. If it fails to halt these self-destructive proposals, then strikes will bring production to a standstill.”

A spokesperson for Diageo said: “We are disappointed by the decision to strike. The proposal to remove up to 10 roles at Cameronbridge Distillery is necessary as we maintain reduced production volumes to protect the long-term competitiveness of our business. We remain committed to engaging constructively.”