Unite: Calling notice:Cadbury workers stage H.Q. carol service protest against factory closure

Unite: Calling notice:Cadbury workers stage H.Q. carol service protest against factory closure

Unite: Calling notice:Cadbury workers stage H.Q. carol service protest against factory closure

Calling notice:
Cadbury workers stage H.Q. carol service protest against factory closure
Sing to stop Cadbury production being moved out of UK
Monday 10th December, 12 noon, 25 Berkeley Sq, London, W1J 6HB.

Carollers from the chocolate town of Keynsham sing to save their factory from closure outside the headquarters of confectionary giant CadburySchweppes, Berkeley Square, London.
Led by Industrial Chaplain Rev. Harold Clarke, the festive protest blends the old with the new as Christmas favourites such as The First Noel and O Come All Ye Faithful are given a lyrical overhaul to reflect the anger of workers, the community and Church at Cadbury’s decision to halve their UK workforce, break its 200-year strong bond with Keynsham and relocate to Poland.

The Bishop of Bath and Wells supports the protestors saying; “Decisions made on the basis of seeing human beings simply as units of production is destructive to the human condition, and flies in the face of the Quaker principles of the founders of the Cadbury Schweppes empire. I believe that the destruction of the fabric of community life is inevitable once a significant employer closes a factory such as Somerdale. I have expressed my opposition to this closure in the strongest possible terms . . . I wish you success in your campaign”.

The strong coalition between The Church of England, Cadbury workers’ union Unite and thousands of locals who oppose the factory closure says shutting Somerdale heralds the end of UK chocolate manufacture and puts the future success of Cadbury in jeopardy.

Transport Watch UK has highlighted the move to Eastern Europe will add an annual seven million food miles to the carbon footprint of British chocolate favourites like Crunchie, Fudge and Milk tray.
Unite claims the decision to close the Somerdale factory has been made in haste by Cadbury despite a strong case for keeping production in Keynsham:

1. Cadbury has not assessed the impact of the move to Poland upon the taste and quality of its products. Unite claims that consumers will notice the difference. British chocolate has a unique flavour and Cadbury’s brand value is tied up in its UK heritage.
2. The Somerdale site is profitable and productive and current sales are, in Cadbury’s own words, “simply stunning”;
3. The decision to move is environmentally unsound. 98% of chocolate made at Somerdale is consumed in the UK and moving production to Poland will add 7 million food miles to products like Fudge, Crunchie and Fry Turkish Delight;
4. Closure could put the supply chain at risk. Currently it takes just 6 hours for a chocolate bar to be made at Somerdale, transported and available for sale;
5. Keynsham has a two hundred year history of chocolate manufacture, and the closure will devastate the town, resulting in 700 direct and up to 1,000 further indirect job losses.

ENDS

Unite was formed on 1st May 2007 from a merger of amicus and the Transport and General Workers Union (T&G)
For further information please contact Lydia Hayes on 0773 992 1669