UK: Union plea over Cadbury factory

British union leaders will meet bosses at chocolate giant Cadbury today to ask them to reverse their decision to close a factory.

Workers voted 9-1 to reject the company’s plans to close the Keynsham site near Bristol.

The 1,600 members of the Unite union, based at Keynsham, Bourneville in Birmingham, Chirk in North Wales and Marlbrook in Herefordshire also voted by 8-1 to take part in a strike ballot if necessary.

Union leaders will ask the company to rethink plans to restructure production and transfer work to Poland, with the loss of 700 jobs in the UK.

Unite said more than 95% of the workforce took part in the ballot, which it said showed the strength of feeling over the proposed closure.

National officer Brian Revell said: “Cadbury pride themselves in being a company which listens to its consumers, shareholders and the City. This vote shows it must listen to its workforce too.

“Cadbury’s board is acting against the company’s character by supporting shareholder greed. They are making the wrong decision on business, environmental and community grounds.”