WORKERS at whisky giant Chivas Brothers could be set to walk out in a dispute over pay.

Earlier today, GMB Scotland announced that staff at the global Scotch Whisky brand will now formally vote on strike action after pay talks collapsed.

It comes after members of the trade union and its sister unions “overwhelmingly” (97 per cent of nearly 100 per cent turnout) backed industrial action in previous consultative ballots.

GMB Scotland notes that the vote has been called over the multinational producer of global brands including Chivas Regal, Glenlivet, Ballantine’s, and Royal Salute reportedly “refusing to revise a pay offer” of 6.4 per cent despite “surging sales”.

David Hume, GMB Scotland organiser, slammed the offer as “unacceptable”.

He said: “Our members are being asked to accept a pay rise that is below the rate of inflation while reading how the owners are celebrating some of the highest sales ever recorded.

“Sales of the whisky made in Scotland are booming around the world but the workers making it are told they must accept an effective pay cut in the middle of a cost of living crisis?

“It is no surprise our members have refused that offer and are united in their determination to take the action necessary to secure an offer that fairly reflects the value of their work.”

Chivas employs around 1,600 workers across Scotland, including at the Kilmalid in Dumbarton, Strathclyde Grain Distillery, Glenlivet Distillery, and other maturation sites and distilleries in Clydebank, Speyside, and Ayrshire.

GMB Scotland alongside Unite will now ballot members formally.

A Chivas Brothers spokesperson said: “Chivas Brothers prides itself on being a longstanding Scottish employer, committed to its people and the communities it calls home.

"We have, and will continue to, reward our people competitively, while responsibly managing our business for the years ahead.

"We firmly believe that our offer strikes the right balance between ensuring our salaries remain highly competitive in the context of a normalising business environment, and enabling us to build a successful and sustainable future, for the long term – as evidenced by our recent investments in distillery expansions and decarbonisation, site safety and our communities across Scotland."