The loss of more than 150 jobs at the McVitie’s factory in Stockport would be ‘reprehensible’, a Labour MP has said.
Navendu Mishra joined mayor Andy Burnham and Stockport council leader Elise WIlson outside the plant on Wellington Road North on Wednesday (May 4) to protest against the plans. The factory, which is owned by Pladis, is the UK’s only chocolate refinery.
Union leaders say 159 jobs are at risk, representing more than a third of the site’s total 470 roles. Now, Labour figures have called on Pladis bosses to have a re-think.
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“Cutting jobs during a cost of living crisis is as shocking as it is reprehensible, and I hope the company engages with Unite the Union and USDAW to find a solution which preserves the working future of this iconic Stockport institution,” MP for Stockport Navendu Mishra said. “Whilst their bills are rising, workers deserve more than anxiety about the instability of their future.
"I am also very concerned that these proposals will see thousands of extra miles being travelled by diesel tankers at a time when we should be prioritising tackling the climate crisis. Similarly, whilst there is universal agreement that we need to level up the North, Pladis' plan to offshore these jobs will do the opposite.
“We need more high-skilled, unionised jobs, not fewer. These proposals don’t benefit anyone.”
Mayor Andy Burnham added it was the ‘wrong move at the wrong time’. The Manchester Evening News understands that there are fears the plan is the ‘beginning of the end’ of McVitie’s biscuit production in Greater Manchester.
In response, a Pladis spokesperson said: “We understand this is a very difficult time for our team in Manchester. Our Manchester factory remains an important part of our UK business and our priority is to provide employees with the on-going support they need as we carry out this consultation.
“Pladis is the proud custodian of some of the world’s best-loved snacking brands and we believe strongly in their enduring consumer appeal. But, like many other businesses, we are grappling with new and growing external pressures. We must, therefore, review and consider appropriate steps to safeguard the future of our whole business.”
