WORKERS at Paisley-based whisky firm Chivas Brothers have voted overwhelmingly to reject a “paltry” pay offer, accusing the company yesterday of corporate greed.

Members of the Unite union voted by 94 per cent to reject a 1.5 per cent increase backdated to last July. Unite regional officer Pat McIlvogue said the offer was “sheer corporate greed” as the company was making profits of £318 million after tax, its profit per employee amounting to over £227,000.

The highest-paid director gets almost £1m a year, the union said.

Last year Chivas Brothers announced it would move its bottling operations from Paisley to Dumbarton to save money.

Mr McIlvogue said this has left the workforce feeling they are being “forced to suffer to finance the investment, both through paltry pay increases and cuts to terms and conditions.”

Workers are also set to lose holiday premium from June this year.

“Scotland is facing an inequality crisis because workers are getting less and less while rich executives and shareholders are getting more and more. We can’t allow that kind of unfair economy to continue,” said Mr McIlvogue.

Unite is seeking further talks with the company.