Let The Drink Talk

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Whisky staff in jobs axe fear after shake-up

HUNDREDS of whisky workers in the west of Scotland fear a jobs cull is on the cards after a management shake-up.

A master blender and two production managers left Allied Distillers' plant in Dumbarton this week, while the production director is said to have been given new duties.

The changes come weeks after French firm Pernod Ricard bought up Allied Domecq for £7.4billion - triggering job worries among bottling plant workers.

Around 400 workers are based at the factory at Kilmalid in Dumbarton.

Pernod Ricard snapped up Paisley-based Chivas Regal several years ago. It has a bottling plant with around 100 workers.

But unions claim around 300 jobs have been lost there since the distillery changed hands.

Now there are concerns the Paisley or the Dumbarton plant will be axed.

Union negotiator Billy Parker of Amicus said: "We expected job losses after the takeover, but we didn't expect the changes to come so quickly.

"There are real concerns among workers that this could be the start of a jobs cull.

"I have talks planned next week with Allied and I intend raising these concerns with them - even though the unions have been told it's business as usual."

City analysts predicted the French owners will act quickly to save costs by tackling duplication.

Senior managers along with staff in administration, finance and IT are all thought to be vulnerable.

Industry experts have also said Pernod Ricard will shut down one of the bottling plants.

There is growing speculation the Paisley operation could be axed as Dumbarton is more modern with space to expand.

Pernod Ricard today refused to respond to job worries. A spokeswoman insisted: "We don't speculate on the future."

But she confirmed three members of Allied's "management production function" had left their posts several days ago as part of a shake-up.

However, she would not comment on union claims that the production director had been given new duties.

from: http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/print/news/5043549.shtml