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From Militant, No. 647, 22 April 1983, p. 14.
Transcribed by Iain Dalton.
Marked up by Einde O’Callaghan for the Encyclopaedia of Trotskyism On-Line (ETOL).
WORKERS at Kraft Foods, Kirkby, intend to resist the company’s 930 planned redundancies by every means in their power.
Stewards representing all unions, thirteen in all, on the site have reported 100% backing from their members. They are refusing to talk to the company about redundancy terms and are mounting an opposition campaign on trade union and political fronts.
The Action Committee is determined firstly to discover the real reasons for the company decision. The great bulk of Kirkby production is for the UK market yet the company is planning to transfer production to Namur in Belgium (they had a trial production run on Dairylea, sold only in Britain there on 14 April) to be imported back into Britain.
Another thing to investigate will be the role of the company Acatos and Hutchinson, rumoured to have at least one Kraft director on their board. This company has recently bought three edible oil refineries, one of them from Kraft. All the unions are to play their part in investigating the background to the company’s strategy in Britain and internationally so the company’s arguments can be countered openly and politically.
The ruling Labour group in Knowsley and the Merseyside County Council are giving full support, as is Merseyside group of Labour MPs. The workers realise the support of fellow trade unionists will probably be a decisive factor and are making plans accordingly.
Messages of support to Dick Caton, union convenor Kraft Foods, Moorgate Road, Kirkby, Merseyside.
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