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SIPTU and UNITE seek assurances on Cadbury's jobs

Date Released: 21 Jan 2010

Members of the SIPTU and UNITE trade unions at the Cadbury’s plant in Coolock in north Dublin have sought assurances about their jobs following the €13.6 billion (£11.6 billion) takeover by US food giant, Kraft.
 
Cadbury Ireland Ltd employs almost 1100 at its plant in Coolock and a further 500 at plants in Tallaght in west Dublin and Rathmore in county Kerry.
 
Shop stewards from SIPTU and UNITE which each represent 350 workers at the Coolock production facility have called on Cadbury’s management in Dublin to seek immediate assurances from the new owners about the future of the Irish operations.
 
“The management in Coolock has assured us that they will update us immediately on the impact of the takeover on the workforce here and in the two other Irish plants,” SIPTU and Unite said today (Wednesday 20th January) in a joint statement.
 
“Both unions intend to play a pro-active role in ensuring that jobs and the hard won conditions of employment are protected in the wake of this takeover,” the Unions said.
 
 “The production unions concluded a comprehensive change agreement in Coolock in December 2009 with the promise of a €20 million investment programme on foot of acceptance of the agreement. The unions are seeking assurance on the investment promised to secure the future of the Coolock operation.”
 
Popular chocolate brands including Dairy Milk, Flake and Twirl are produced by workers in the Coolock plant, which opened in the 1960’s. Ingredients for gum are produced at the Tallaght plant while chocolate crumb is produced in Rathmore.
 
It was reported that Cadbury decided to sell the 186 year old British confectionary group after Kraft increased its latest offer by 12% to €13.6 billion. The company employs 4,500 in the UK and 45,000 globally.