Union plans 'urgent' talks over Shropshire dairy job losses

Union officials today said they planned to have "urgent" talks with bosses at a Shropshire dairy firm which has announced it plans to shed 350 jobs.

The loss of jobs at Uniq, the dessert making factory at Minsterley, near Shrewsbury, has been branded as "a devastating blow to the local economy" by Unite, the largest union in the country.

Officials at Unite, which represents the workforce, said it was very concerned that next year's proposed job cuts could be linked to the takeover of Uniq by the giant Irish convenience food company Greencore, due to be completed on Tuesday.

The 350 jobs axe planned for next June comes on top of 50 redundancies already announced for next March.

Mike Tuff, Unite's regional officer, said: "A total of 400 jobs losses is a devastating blow for this community situated in a rural area where finding alternative work will be very difficult, especially at a time when the economy in general and manufacturing in particular are on their knees.

"I will be having urgent talks with Uniq's management at Minsterley to get the full details and to make it clear that we will be doing everything in our power to save our members' jobs."

Jennie Formby, Unite's national officer for the food and drink sector, said members heard about the job losses on the internet and were "furious" at the lack of sensitivity shown by management.

She said: "We are very concerned that these job losses have been announced just days before Uniq is taken over by Greencore and it is difficult to believe that these two events are not linked.

"Since Kraft's disastrous takeover of Cadbury we have repeatedly made the case for a Cadbury's law to protect British companies from predatory takeovers by companies where a sometimes reckless pursuit of shareholder value is more important than vital jobs in British manufacturing.

"Our members must not pay the price of takeovers with their jobs and conditions. Unite will be fighting very hard to protect our members' interests at this very grim time."

By Russell Roberts