Congress 2006 emergency motion 5
Congress 2006
E5 Closure of the Northern Foods Bakery in Trafford Park
Congress is appalled by the recent announcement by Northern Foods on the proposed closure of the Trafford Park bakery in Manchester with the loss of 700 jobs, in addition to the closure of the Shropshire plant. The Manchester plant supplies pies and pastries to Britain's multiple grocers. It is one of many closures of factories that supply prepared foods to the supermarkets.
Congress calls on the General Council to make representations to the competition commission investigation into the powers of supermarkets. This submission should deal with how the multiple retailers are abusing their purchasing power in the UK and overseas to depress wages and conditions of workers in the supply chain, leading to job losses as employers like Northern Foods resign from unprofitable supply contracts. This proposed closure should be cited in detail as a prime example of this abuse of power.
Congress considers that the shift in relative bargaining power between the suppliers and the multiples can only be addressed by the creation of an independent regulator with powers to ensure that workers in the supply chain in the UK and overseas get a fair deal. Congress calls on the General Council to campaign for this.
Congress notes that the company is currently involved in the 90-day consultation period with GMB on these 700 redundancies. Congress calls on Northern Foods and the multiple grocers to reconsider the proposals to close this plant and to come forward with viable proposals to secure the future of the plant.
Mover: GMB
Seconder: Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union
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