In July, the Municipal Council of Halle passed a motion strongly condemning the proposed closure of the Halle chocolate factory. The motion, unanimously supported by all fractions in the government, underlined the loss of 99 out of 418 jobs, plus seasonal jobs and jobs in ancillary services, many of which are reserved for the handicapped. The Municipal Council didn’t mince words in referring to “this cold and brutal maneuver” and noted that the image of Côte d’Or, which had become a landmark and the pride of the city, was now severely damaged. They furthermore criticized the proposal to transport the raw material abroad and import the finished product back to Halle, as ecologically unsound and an unnecessary burden for local traffic.
Workers at the Kraft Foods Côte d'Or chocolate factory in Halle are back at work but have suspended further action while negotiations – which started Monday, 5 September - are in progress.
The unions fighting to defend their members’ jobs are again asking for Kraft Workers Solidarity: Please download and collect signatures on the petition of support! [1]