Staff
at the Cadbury World shop in Birmingham are on strike today as a dispute over
unfair pay intensifies.
The
10 staff, all members of the Transport & General Workers Union (T&G),
are demanding the same pay as staff in the factory shop immediately next door,
who are paid £2 an hour extra for doing the same job.
John
Jordan, T&G regional industrial organiser, who has been negotiating with
Cadbury’s, accused the company’s managers of backing away from a negotiated
settlement.
“Cadbury
World’s pay is being compared to rates at Alton Towers which is 40 miles away,”
said Jordan. “We say that can’t be fair as the staff in the factory shop
immediately next door are being paid £2 an hour more."
Brian
Revell, the T&G national organiser for food and agriculture, attended
crisis talks earlier this week and said he believed the Cadbury managers were
acting irresponsibly.
“Quite
what Willly Wonka would make of this I don’t know,” he said.
