Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 28, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
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Diageo's Belfast workers will strike in December over pay disputes, demanding parity with Runcorn site employees. Diageo has plans to prevent supply disruptions.
(Reuters) -Britain's Unite union said on Friday some workers at Diageo's Belfast packaging site have unanimously voted to reject a pay offer and go ahead with an eight-day strike in December.
About 90 workers at the world's largest spirits maker's Belfast brewery are demanding a substantial pay increase to close the pay gap with employees at Diageo's site in Runcorn, England.
However, Diageo expects no disruption to Guinness or Guinness 0.0 supplies over Christmas, saying contingency plans are in place to offset any impact from the Belfast strike, a company spokesperson told Reuters.
The strike hits as the Guinness maker struggles to defend its stout against cheaper rivals, giving competitors such as Heineken and Anheuser-Busch InBev a chance to gain ground during the key Christmas season.
"While we are disappointed by the outcome of the ballot for industrial action at our can packaging site in Belfast, we strongly believe that continued engagement is the best way of securing a resolution that recognises employees for their valued contribution, while ensuring the long-term competitiveness of the site," the spokesperson said.
Diageo's Belfast site handles canning and packaging for several of the company's brands, including Guinness.
The union members will begin strike action on December 5 and the walkout will continue until the early hours of December 13, Unite said.
(Reporting by Yamini Kalia and Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Mrigank Dhaniwala)
A pay dispute occurs when employees and employers disagree on salary or wage levels, often leading to negotiations or industrial actions like strikes.
A strike is a work stoppage initiated by employees to express grievances or demand changes, typically related to pay, working conditions, or labor rights.
A union is an organized group of workers that come together to make decisions about the work environment, including negotiating wages and working conditions.
Contingency planning involves preparing for unexpected events or disruptions, ensuring that a company can maintain operations during crises or strikes.
A pay increase refers to a raise in an employee's salary or wages, often requested to keep pace with inflation or to reflect increased responsibilities.
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