The campaigning commerce union GMB Scotland stated that 4 in 5 members at Dalmore, Invergordon and Tamnavulin distilleries backed industrial motion together with strikes.
The vote comes after 94% of members voted towards a proposed pay rise of between 5% and 6% in February.
“The help for industrial motion at Whyte & Mackay is overwhelming however unsurprising,” stated GMB organiser Lesley-Anne MacAskill.
“Our members’ work has pushed the corporate to record-breaking income however has not been recognised or pretty rewarded in pay negotiations.
“Whyte & Mackay is celebrating unprecedented industrial success whereas our member proceed to endure a value of residing disaster whereas being paid lower than employees throughout the business.
“The corporate ought to contemplate the outcomes of this poll and the clear willpower of our members to take motion in help of a good pay award and enhance its supply. If it doesn’t, industrial motion is now inevitable.”
GMB Scotland says that Whyte & Mackay, which is owned by Philippines-based Emperador, had pre-tax income of £81.3 million in 2022 and that an inflation-matching pay enhance would price the corporate £3.3 million.
In response, a spokesperson for Whyte & Mackay stated: “We now have obtained formal notification from GMB of its intention to strike. We’re upset that regardless of dialogue and a revised award of 6.8%, now we have failed to achieve an settlement.
“As a enterprise, we firmly imagine that our pay proposal is a good and aggressive supply. We imagine there’s a route ahead with out the necessity for strike motion and we stay dedicated to work to realize that via dialogue with GMB.
“Within the occasion of a strike happening, now we have plans in place to mitigate disruption and guarantee continued enterprise operation to minimise influence to our clients.”
