Kraft’s bid for Cadbury Needs to Ease Worries on Jobs and Pensions

LONDON - Commenting on the news today that global food giant Kraft is to table a bid for UK chocolate maker Cadbury, Jennie Formby, Unite national officer for the food sector, said: “It is too early for us to make any detailed comment on this announcement. Unite has requested meetings with both Kraft and Cadbury senior management immediately so that we can begin to understand what the detail of these proposals would mean in terms of long-term commitment to UK jobs at all Cadbury sites, and any possible impact on workers’ conditions, including their pensions.”

“Recent years have seen a great deal of upheaval for Cadbury workers in this country. They’ve seen work transfer away from their communities to new plants in Poland, jobs go and now a breaking of a promise on pay.”

“It is essential that no-one makes rash promises which give false hope to the workforce, and in particular to our members under threat of redundancy at the Somerdale plant.”

Unite is the union for Cadbury workers, and is currently fighting the company on its refusal to uphold the final year of a three year pay deal.

Source: Unite the Union

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