WORKERS at the Guinness canning factory in Belfast walked out today over a pay dispute.

Unite the union said about 90 workers at the Diageo-owned company began the eight-day strike, over a pay claim that would end their pay gap with those working at Diageo’s other Guinness packaging site in Runcorn, England.

Unite steward Billy McFarlane, a worker at the site, said that they were taking action “to improve the offer and bring the company back to the table.”

He explained: “We have a sister site in England on a much higher salary rate of pay.

“With the increasing cost of living, what the business has brought to the table is insufficient.”

Unite says Diageo is “one of the largest and most profitable drinks companies in the world,” having reported global net profits of more than $2.5 billion (£1.7bn) earlier this year.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the strike will lead to “empty shelves” unless the company recognised “the determination of this workforce to win fair pay and make a fair pay offer.”

In a statement, a Diageo spokesperson said it was disappointed the strike was taking place but its pay offer was “more than fair and reasonable,” adding they were “committed to constructive dialogue with the union and its representatives to reach a resolution.”