I'm sure there are many people in Britain who didn't have a clue where Kilmarnock is or had even heard of the town. Now it's firmly on the map since the MSM picked up on the story of the good folk of Kilmarnock's struggle with the town's biggest employer.
For those of you who don't know the details, Kilmarnock is where Johnnie Walker whisky is bottled and the name Johnnie Walker has been associated with the town since 1820. The drinks giant Diageo want to close down the plant and move the bottling to Fife. They say the redundancies would be offset by the creation of 400 jobs at its packaging plant in Fife.
Thousands of people took to the streets on Sunday in a march and rally organised by East Ayrshire Council, part of the alliance seeking to reverse the closure decision.
The First Minister Alex Salmond, along with Des Browne and Annabel Goldie attended the rally. Mr Salmond said, "This rally marks another step forward in the joint campaign to perduade Diageo of the substantial economic advantages in retaining their long established and hugely beneficial links with the communities of Scotland. Next month the campaign will present an alternative business case to retain this iconic brand in Ayrshire and to demand fairness for their workers across Scotland and Port Dundas in Glasgow."
Annabel Goldie stated, "Across communities, across political parties and across organisation the message is: Do not tarnish the legendary reputation of scotch whisky and do not abandon the legacy of generations of skilled and loyal employees who have made Diageo the hugely successful company it is today. Corporate success should never exclude corporate responsibility."
The people of Kilmarnock ought to hold their heads up high because they've shown that community spirit is not dead. Radio phone-ins have recorded complete support for their case and I wish them all the luck in the world.
Source: BBC
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6 comments:
SR,
You are right in what you say about the people of Kilmarnock.
I agree with the political parties coming together.
However I am concerned about the First Ministers megaphone politics.
Is he not setting a dangerous precident here. When he addressed, by megaphone, Sunday’s protest march, where you not reminded of the mass rallies of the 1970s when workers fought, often unsuccessfully, against the closure of traditional industries in Scotland. Well the issue there is they were run by union officials not politicians and not the head politician for this wee isle. Its the union officials bread and butter.
Should Eck not show support but from a distance.
Yes he should broker a solution or at least attempt to but when you go up against a company who sells in 180 countries employs 24K people, half yearly sales of 6.7 billion pounds and a manufacturing base in 80 countries and 101 of the worlds top brands..........the sceptic in me is saying when you as a company are that big, they can do what they want, and Eck is just using this for marginal SNP votes.
Yes I await the tirabe from others on your comment section here.
I just saw a snippet on the news LotF and that was only Alex Salmond speaking to Sky or the BBC (can't remember which one).
I entirely agree with you but not the about distance. The FM should not be speaking by megaphone like a union leader, he should show a dignified presence. Leading from the front of the march would have been sufficient.
Now he's set this precedence I do hope it doesn't come back to bite the SNP with regard to votes. More companies will be making changes in Scotland and they will be taking note of how Diageo are being handled.
I wasn't there, (I was in bed, working all weekend), but a friend went on the march.
I meant to say, last week the Kilmarnock Standard printed a part of my post, (the one supporting the campaign), word for word. The council sent it too them as a press release thinking it was from the real Rab C. aka Gregor Fisher! Idiots. I sent them an e mail and I could feel the rid faces burning through the screen!
Well Rab, publication in a newspaper? You're reaching dizzy heights indeed, even though it is by default! Well done.
Aren't some people just too stupid for words? It shows that your local paper doesn't check anything out - so keep writing. :)
erm...
it wasn't a megaphone it was a bluidy good sound system and the band that preceeded Alex (the Symptoms) made good use of it.
... and why do you think it was loud. It had to be, If folk at the back of a 20,000 crowd had to have a chance of hearing clearly what was being said. Aye, I was there and up in Edinburgh attending the gathering of the clans.
... and organising a squad of obliging lads and lassies.
Did you know that those clans folk came from all over the world to attend that gathering of the clans. Many didn't even have any blood connections to oor wee patch of the planet. Begians, Dutch, Germans, Scandinavians, Americans (north and south), Canadians and folk from all over, with or without the connections were at the gathering. But they sure had the friendship and the empathy with us.
...and Diaglo and wee wurd in yer lughole. Many of those folk are away hame with a list of yer products and yer outlets... and yer subsidaries and yer commercial connections, here and overseas.
...and naturally those 'clansfolk' will be in conversations with their work colleagues, kin, aquaintances and who ever about their experiences in Scotland.
So mind yerselves, Diaglo eh. Ye not only can be financially hurt but will be; as surely as if ye dare to hurt others.
If international you be then so too, will the protest and perhaps the fiscal retribution be international.
...and if folk reading this think I'm havering, think again.
It will not be the first time I've helped a giant international corporation to gan awa to reassess the situation ...and think again.
Wisnaeme.
Hi wisnaeme. As I said to LotF I only caught a little bit of it.
The Gathering seemed a tremendous success. I had friends from the borders who thought they'd just go for a couple of hours and they ended up going back on the Sunday, they enjoy it so much.
I'm not sure Diageo will listen. We can but hope but what Annabel Goldie said is correct.
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