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Stop using Cadbury's workers as a political football, Unite tells Midlands Tories

18th February 2010

Attempts by the Conservatives in the Midlands to jump on the Cadbury bandwagon will not play well with the anxious workforce, Unite, the workers' union has warned today (Thursday).

It comes as local Conservative party councillor Nigel Dawkins accuses Labour MPs of failing to back the workforce as they fought to keep their company independent during the recent Kraft takeover. Councillor Dawkins has distributed leaflets across the Selly Oak ward claiming that Labour MPs did not do enough to help fight for Cadbury's future.

John Flavin, who works at Cadbury's Bournville plant and is a Unite steward, condemned councillor Dawkins for his "naked opportunism. It is outrageous that the Tories are prepared to try to piggyback on this campaign for their own personal gain, when in fact they did nothing whatsoever to help.

"As the people of this community know full well, all the Labour MPs from the West Midlands group were tireless in their campaigning and their support, aided and abetted by many other Labour MPs around the UK, and this was very much appreciated by all our members. The workforce knows how to distinguish genuine support from a party clambering on the bandwagon."

Councillor Dawkins' attempts to use Cadbury's workers' plight to promote himself is the latest ill-judged Conservative party intervention in the takeover. As Unite and the workers were fighting to save Cadbury from takeover, one Tory MP Bill Wiggin had criticised them for being "whingers" for raising fears that debt-heavy Kraft would cut jobs.

Jack Dromey, Unite deputy general secretary, added: "This is a new low from the Midlands Tories. The workers at Cadbury are frightened for their future. They want to be supported and they want a government that will listen to and act on their fears - they do not want to be used as a political football.

"With Birmingham council, a Tory administration, set to wipe out 2,000 jobs and cut services to the needy, the people of the Midlands will view with great disdain a councillor and a party which is cynically using the plight of their friends at Cadbury for political advantage."

ENDS

For further information, please contact Pauline Doyle on 07976 832 861