Cadbury workers throw down the gauntlet to Kraft
Dec 11 2009 by Jon Griffin, Birmingham Mail
CADBURY workers are throwing down the gauntlet to Kraft in an attempt to ward off the US giant’s hostile takeover bid and keep the world-famous chocolate maker British.
CADBURY workers are throwing down the gauntlet to Kraft in an attempt to ward off the US giant’s hostile takeover bid and keep the world-famous chocolate maker British.
Employees and their union, Unite, will get their community fight-back underway next week from the heart of Cadbury’s empire at the company’s historic Bournville headquarters in Birmingham.
Employees and their union, Unite, will get their community fight-back underway next week from the heart of Cadbury’s empire at the company’s historic Bournville headquarters in Birmingham.
The public show of strength next Tuesday will see workers from the UK and Dublin and a growing coalition of support, including leading local MPs and public figures, stand together to resist Kraft.
The public show of strength next Tuesday will see workers from the UK and Dublin and a growing coalition of support, including leading local MPs and public figures, stand together to resist Kraft.
Unions say a takeover by the US group would saddle Cadbury with enormous debts and lead to job losses and pay cuts to help meet massive borrowings needed to finance this takeover.
Unions say a takeover by the US group would saddle Cadbury with enormous debts and lead to job losses and pay cuts to help meet massive borrowings needed to finance this takeover.
Ahead of Tuesday’s protest, Len McCluskey, Unite assistant general secretary, said: “There is serious and growing worry, stretching from the shopfloor to the wiser heads on the City trading floor, about what the Kraft offer and any ensuing bidding war could mean for Cadbury. Cadbury is a great UK success story – and it was and is not for sale. But suddenly a hostile bid and swarming speculators has thrown its future, its investment plans and the jobs of thousands of workers here and in Ireland up in the air.
Ahead of Tuesday’s protest, Len McCluskey, Unite assistant general secretary, said: “There is serious and growing worry, stretching from the shopfloor to the wiser heads on the City trading floor, about what the Kraft offer and any ensuing bidding war could mean for Cadbury. Cadbury is a great UK success story – and it was and is not for sale. But suddenly a hostile bid and swarming speculators has thrown its future, its investment plans and the jobs of thousands of workers here and in Ireland up in the air.
“We must see off the Kraft bid and any others which do not have this company and its workforce’s best interests at heart. And we must persuade our Government and the regulators to act fast so that healthy UK businesses cannot again fall prey to the finance vultures.”
“We must see off the Kraft bid and any others which do not have this company and its workforce’s best interests at heart. And we must persuade our Government and the regulators to act fast so that healthy UK businesses cannot again fall prey to the finance vultures.”
On Tuesday, Unite will unveil a petition to Keep Cadbury Independent and publicity material warning shareholders that they would be ‘Fruit & Nutty’ to sell Cadbury.
On Tuesday, Unite will unveil a petition to Keep Cadbury Independent and publicity material warning shareholders that they would be ‘Fruit & Nutty’ to sell Cadbury.
They will be aided by the workers, as well as by some of the favourites from the chocolate-maker’s famed product range, including giant Crème Eggs, plus bars of Fruit and Nut and Dairy Milk.
They will be aided by the workers, as well as by some of the favourites from the chocolate-maker’s famed product range, including giant Crème Eggs, plus bars of Fruit and Nut and Dairy Milk.
The petition and all materials will be hosted on a dedicated website www.welovecadbury.com.
The petition and all materials will be hosted on a dedicated website www.welovecadbury.com.
Unite and the workers will also be taking the Keep Cadbury Independent campaign to Parliament on Wednesday, December 16 to alert MPs and ministers to their concerns.
Unite and the workers will also be taking the Keep Cadbury Independent campaign to Parliament on Wednesday, December 16 to alert MPs and ministers to their concerns.
Next week’s protests follow public messages of support for Cadbury this week from the likes of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.
Next week’s protests follow public messages of support for Cadbury this week from the likes of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.
OUR SAY: PAGE 14
OUR SAY: PAGE 14
