20,000 march against Diageo closures
Over 20,000 people joined a protest march against the planned closure of Diageo's Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock yesterday.
The march was the latest part of a campaign to persuade the drinks giant to reconsider its plans to close its whisky bottling plant in Kilmarnock and its grain distillery in Port Dundas, Glasgow over the next two years with the loss of around 900 jobs.
The rally was led by trade union Unite and backed by the ruling Scottish National Party. "These are job cuts driven by one thing only — greed," said Unite assistant general secretary Len McCluskey at the rally. "This is a company drunk on greed. It is making mega-profits — more than £2bn last year — and wants still more.
"Well, we have news for Diageo and its boardroom. The days of 'greed is good' are over. Unite is not going to accept that these jobs are going and the communities depending on them will be destroyed."
He added: "Diageo, it is time to sober up. Today Scotland is united behind your workforce, who have served Diageo so loyally for generations and built your reputation worldwide on their hard graft, to say we will not stand aside while you destroy communities and shut plants which are efficient and profitable. It would be a crime for them to close and we will not let this happen."
Unite is working with fellow trade union the GMB and the Scottish Executive on an alternative business plan, which will keep jobs in Scotland.
SNP deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon has added her support to the campaign by signing the petition. "This petition shows that trade unions, politicians and local authorities in both Glasgow and East Ayrshire are all united in fighting Diageo's job cuts across Scotland," she said.
"Just as First Minister Alex Salmond has actively put the case for retaining these jobs as a Glasgow MSP I can also categorically pledge that I will support the campaign to retain the jobs at both Port Dundas and in Kilmarnock."
Diageo has promised it will listen to any alternative plans.
