Renfrewshire’s Council leader says Chivas bosses are ‘treating workers with contempt’ – after lodging detailed plans to reduce their Paisley bottling hall to rubble while still consulting hundreds of staff over the future of the site.
Bosses at parent company Pernod-Ricard this month announced their intention to close their plant in Renfrew Road – which employs more than 450 people – and move all business to Dumbarton.
But Renfrewshire Council has now received a detailed application for building warrant – which – if approved – would give Chivas permission to raze the bottling hall to the ground as soon as they choose.
And Councillor Mark Macmillan has criticised the timing – with the plans arriving while Chivas are still running a consultation with workers over their futures.
Chivas Brothers say the application is “a standard and exploratory application” and “are committed to securing a favourable future for the Paisley site.”
Cllr Macmillan this week secured the backing of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to create a Scottish Government multi-agency taskforce to help mitigate the impact of the relocation.
He said: “The actions of Chivas management are two-faced and heartless – they are treating Paisley workers with contempt.
“One hand they are still speaking to hundreds of devastated workers about their futures…on the other they have clearly been working for some time on detailed plans to demolish their place of work.
“When the closure was suddenly announced two weeks ago we were told it would take up to three years before the Paisley plant closed down totally – this opens up questions over what sort of timescale the firm really has in mind.
“The company has a rich history in the town, with generations of families having worked there over the past half-century.
“So it is disappointing they would act this way while their Paisley-based staff are still coming to terms with the news and waiting for more information about what their relocation options might be.
“I am already due to meet with union representatives over the next week and the council will be working with all agencies to mitigate the impact this will have on Renfrewshire families.”
Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said: “I am concerned to hear that a building warrant application has already been submitted by Chivas Brothers.
“We are at the start of this process and it’s only right and proper that Chivas Brothers fully engage with staff and local stakeholders on all aspects of this matter. Staff have already complained about the lack of consultation that they’ve had with senior management over the closure of the Chivas Paisley site, and they will be disappointed and angry over this latest development.
“I am meeting trade union representatives shortly to find out what support I can offer to the workforce. I have also requested to meet the senior management at Chivas Paisley to find out more about the decision to move their operations away from Paisley.
“I once again call on Chivas Brothers to fully consult their Paisley workforce on this issue. This workforce has been loyal to Chivas Brothers and it’s important that they are fully engaged in every stage of the process.”
A Chivas Brothers spokesperson told Renfrewshire News: “This is a standard and exploratory application in light of the announcement of our intention to invest £40 million in a new state-of-the-art and world-class plant on our Kilmalid site.
“We are at the beginning of a three year process and the application seeks to support and inform our future planning. We are committed to securing a favourable future for the Paisley site.”