Cadbury plant closure sparks anger

ANGER was mounting today after Kraft confirmed the closure of a Cadbury factory with the loss of 400 jobs despite earlier pledges to keep it open.

The US firm won its battle to take over chocolate maker last week, and had previously said it wanted to keep the facility open. But yesterday it said it was “unrealistic” to reverse plans to shut the site at Somerdale near Bristol and announced it would close next year.

Now unions representing workers at the firm’s main plant in Bournville, Birmingham say the move raises fresh fears over their job security.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said he was disappointed with the decision.”This will confirm the fears of those who felt the takeover would result in job losses,” he said.

Jennie Formby, Unite’s national officer, said Kraft’s “thirst for public approval” during the takeover led the company to ignore warnings that the timeline for the closure was already set in stone.

“Kraft have ignored repeated requests for meetings and discussions over the future, and even as senior management were on site in Somerdale preparing to make their statement to our members, a Kraft director was assuring Unite that they had not made any decision yet but we would be the first to know.

“This sends the worst possible message to the 6,000 other Cadbury workers in the UK and Ireland. It tells them that Kraft care little for their workers and have contempt for the trade union that represents them.”