Protesters angry about chocolate factory closure

Protesters demonstrated today outside a Cadbury factory in the UK following the company’s decision to cut hundreds of jobs.

Around 300 people braved torrential downpours as they gathered at lunchtime outside the gates of Cadbury’s Somerdale factory in Keynsham, near Bristol.

The company announced that 500 jobs would be lost when the site closes in 2010.

The work will move to Poland and to Cadbury headquarters in Bournville, Birmingham.

A further 200 jobs are expected to be lost at the Bournville plant as part of the restructuring.

Unite union officials told protesters, armed with flags and placards, that they would continue the fight against the proposed factory closure.

Steve Preddy, regional industrial organiser for Unite, told the crowd: “The announcement by Cadbury last week is nothing short of a betrayal of the work force in Keynsham.

“Unite will do everything possible to persuade Cadbury that they should reverse this appalling decision.

“Copying the irresponsible behaviour of so many other employers, so many other ’iconic brands’, Cadbury seeks to rip the heart out of this town, shut the factory and move the work.”

He said the decision to close the factory and move work to Poland was “the equivalent to having a chocolate fireguard”.

The protesters gathered in the looming shadow of the vast red-brick Cadbury factory.

Speakers at the rally were repeatedly drowned out as passing cars and lorries beeped their horns in support of the protesters.

Dawn Naish, 41, from Barr’s Court, Bristol, said her family would be devastated by the closure of the plant.

Mrs Naish, who has worked there for 17 years, said: “I’m the main bread winner in the family.

“I’ve got two young children aged 10 and six. The closure of the factory will have an absolutely devastating affect on us.”

Gary Lovegrove, 48, from Stockwood, Bristol, accused the company of greed.

Mr Lovegrove, who has worked at the factory for 28 years, said: “It’s all about money. They can pay workers in Poland a lot less than they can pay us.

“The mood among the workers is pretty down at the moment. We all have mortgages to pay and young families to support.

“The turnout today is a real boost. A lot of people rely on this factory and the area will be devastated if the factory does close.”

Mother-of-two Michelle Daveridge, 26, from Keynsham, brought her two-year-old son to the protest.

She said: “Everyone who is dear to me has something to do with that factory.

“I used to work there, so did my dad, my husband works their now. I just felt sick when I heard the news last week.

“We are just hoping that this protest does some good.”

Unite plans to lobby Parliament about the prospective job cuts next Wednesday.