DIAGEO IRELAND, owners of several international brands including Guinness, has announced it will shed 107 jobs or 5% of its 2,000 Irish workforce as part of a cost-cutting exercise.

TRADE unions representing Guinness brewers across the country yesterday warned the large-scale job cuts and redundancies proposed represented a black day for the black stuff.

THE first strike action at Guinness in 250 years could see production of the world famous product at its Dublin base halted within weeks.

MANDATORY alcohol testing is a contentious issue for unions, but it was a group of workers very familiar with alcohol who took the lead in the debate — Guinness staff.