Cadbury workers secure new two-year pay deal

About 1,300 workers at three Cadbury factories around the UK – including two in the West Midlands – have secured a new pay deal.

The two-year deal, designed to counter rising inflation, was agreed following a ballot amongst the workers.

The workers are based at the confectioner’s historic home in Bournville, Marlbrook, near Leominster, Herefordshire and Chirk, near Wrexham.

The deal, backdated to April, also includes a big uplift in maternity pay.

The settlement is worth 3.2% for 2017/2018 (based on February’s RPI figure) and 2018/2019.

Joe Clarke, national lead officer for food, drink and agriculture at the Unite union, said: “We are very pleased with this deal that our members have voted overwhelmingly in favour of.

“It is a package designed to counter rising inflation levels and protect our members’ standard of living during these challenging economic times.

“Unite has guaranteed a cost of living increase for Cadbury UK workers nationally with this two-year deal.”

He said the union was pleased that Cadbury’s ethical traditions were still evident and that the company was prepared to consider the wellbeing of its staff. He said other companies could do well to adopt a similar approach to their industrial relations.

“The recognition of how important decent maternity pay arrangements are is warmly welcomed by all our members and is an example which others in this sector should emulate,” he said.