Guinness Ireland has confirmed that next week's planned strike will seriously affect supplies after it received strike notice for April 12th.
A spokesman told ireland.commedia reports indicating the company planned to import products from the UK were pure speculation.
Guinness workers yesterday voted by a 60 per cent majority for an all-out strike starting next Thursday, April 12th.
Today SITPU served strike notice in the dispute over Guinness Ireland plans to close its Dundalk packaging plant with the loss of 140 jobs later this month.
Guinness, Carlsberg, Budweiser, Smithwicks and Harp products are facing shortages as a result. These brands make up more than half of all beer sales in the State.
The Guinness Joint Union Forum wants to bring the dispute to the Labour Court but the company claims it will only to do so if the JUF can justify further delaying a closure planned for last July.
The stoppage is likely to halt Guinness exports to continental Europe and North America with the London-based Park Royal brewery supplying the British market.
Guinness union members will meet tomorrow at 11 a.m. to finalise strike plans.
