Cadbury's staff to strike as bosses shower themselves in profits

Workers at Britain's leading chocolate maker Cadbury told their employers to keep their buttons with the news today that the workforce has voted overwhelmingly for action to prevent the company breaking its pay promises.

With the consultative strike ballot at Cadbury revealing that the workers, members of Unite the union, voted eight to one in favour of strike, a full industrial action ballot will now proceed at the company bringing a strike among the 1,200-strong workforce one step closer.  Strike action, should it be agreed, is certain to hit supplies of some of the most popular chocolate products in the country, including Wispa, Crunchie, Dairy Milk and Creme Egg.

The workers are angry that Cadbury is breaking a long-standing deal struck with the workers at Cadbury's UK plants at Bourneville, Chirk, Marlbrook and Somerdale, by refusing to honour the final year of a three year pay agreement.

Jennie Formby, Unite national officer for the food and retail sector, said the result showed that feelings among the workforce are running high: “Cadbury's bosses have showered themselves and shareholders with 30 per cent profits, and the CEO Todd Switzer pockets, in one year alone, perks which far outstrip what the average Cadbury worker can ever hope to make in a lifetime. Yet the workforce is told they would be getting only buttons and a half per cent in their pay packets.