The future of the cider production workforce at Universal Beverages Ltd (UBL) in Ledbury, Herefordshire is ‘a matter of serious concern’, Unite, the country’s largest union, said today (Thursday 3 April).
Heineken has announced that cider production and packaging will be moved from Ledbury to Hereford by December 2015, with only fruit milling remaining at Ledbury. A total of 97 staff will be affected.
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Unite regional officer Chris Purvis said: “This is a matter of serious concern for the workforce and their families, as well as the local Ledbury economy. We have met with management already and are due to meet the workforce later today (Thursday).
“We understand that up to 50 jobs will be available at the Hereford cider plant which will be the focus of £50 million worth of investment, with a further 16 jobs to service the mill facility at Ledbury.
“Our twin aims are to investigate how many jobs can be transferred from Ledbury to the new plant at Hereford with the appropriate training and to avoid any compulsory redundancies.
“Unite wishes to work in a constructive fashion with management to achieve those two goals.”
Heineken makes the Bulmer brands of cider.
