Tension at Cadbury meeting

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has asked media to leave at the end of a private meeting with city leaders yesterday discussing the Cadbury factory closure.

Dunedin-based MPs Clare Curran and David Clark, of Labour, and National’s Michael Woodhouse joined other city leaders to meet Cadbury officials at the Dunedin City Council yesterday.

The meeting was to discuss Cadbury’s owner, American food giant Mondelez International, planning to close the factory next year with the loss of more than 350 jobs.

A source said the meeting went awry when some media attempted to film people leaving the meeting, held behind closed doors inside the council building.

It is understood Cull objected to media outlets being inside the building without permission, and he covered the camera lens of one outlet. He then cancelled a planned interview with The Press, with a council spokesman saying he would only issue a statement following the media intrusion.

Cadbury officials left the building through a private exit to avoid media waiting outside.

Clark said he was glad the meeting took place, and there was a good conversation about ‘‘what this proposal means for Dunedin and for the working people’’.

It is understood the group made a commitment to meet affected workers to hear their side of the story.

Union E tu said it was forced to withdraw from the mayoral forum because of legal concerns.

Clark confirmed the meeting included three Mondelez representatives, including Jake Hatton, Mondelez external affairs manager for Australia and New Zealand.

E tu’s national industry strategy director (food), Neville Donaldson, said when the meeting got under way, it became clear Cull’s agenda was about what happens when the factory closes.

However, Neville advised the meeting that the union and workers were about to begin consultation with Mondelez, which required the company to genuinely consider alternative proposals to keep the factory open.

‘‘We’ve told workers and the general public we will do all we can to keep the factory open, and they expect the union to honour this,’’ Neville said.

Neville said he questioned the good faith shown by Mondelez which agreed to attend the meeting knowing it also had legal good faith obligations to the union and staff to genuinely consider alternatives to closure.

Although the union recognised the meeting was called with the best of intentions, ‘‘it must be recognised the timing of the meeting was terrible and totally undermined the process and efforts to save jobs’’.

Following the announcement of the proposed closure, Cull told The Press: ‘‘This decision will be a difficult, if not devastating time for affected staff and their families.

‘‘My message to those workers is that you are not in this alone.’’ ●➤ Boycott call A10