Diageo workers turn to Obama’s team for help

Barack Obama’s strategy team are to help Diageo workers keep their jobs.

More than 900jobs in Scotland are under threat since Diageo announced it’s intention to close it’s bottling plant in Kilmarnock.  Workers and their union have been fighting hard since the announcement to stop the move.  They have been supported in their efforts by local political figures but now they have turned to the US political scene for reinforcements.

A local politician had the idea to approach the key strategists in Obama’s election team. 

MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Des Browne, met Obama’s strategists during the presidential inauguration.

Blue State Digital ran Obama’s online campaign which enlisted massive support at the time for the presidential hopeful.

Mr Browne told the Daily Record, "The whole world saw what these people did in Obama's campaign. They are the best web-based campaigners in the world.

"When I was in Washington in January for the inauguration, I spent half a day with them and I was even more impressed when I saw how they did it, never mind what they did.

"The Johnnie Walker workers need the best support they can get and these people are the best.

"I was delighted when they agreed to put together a campaign to internationalise the message of support.

"Their willingness to get involved in this campaign shows how strong the Johnnie Walker brand is and that the best in the world would want to be associated with this.

"They cut their teeth and honed their skills on the best political campaign the world has ever seen.

"Johnnie Walker workers deserve the best - and they are the best."

The news has been received well in Kilmarnock, where Diageo staff have been devastated by the impending closure.

The workers’ union, Unite, will fund the Save Johnnie Walker international campaign.

Unite's assistant general secretary Len McCluskey said: "The people behind this digital campaign got a US president elected.

"We want to harness this expertise so the voices of everyday people, from Scotland and across the world, will speak as one to convince a mammoth drinks giant that it cannot betray Scotland's workers."