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| 'Emotional' end to Burberry fight | 'Emotional' end to Burberry fight |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| More than 300 workers will make a final march from the gates of a Rhondda clothing factory which has closed after 60 years of production. | More than 300 workers will make a final march from the gates of a Rhondda clothing factory which has closed after 60 years of production. |
| Burberry is closing its Treorchy plant after months of protests and negotiations, saying it is not commercially viable. | Burberry is closing its Treorchy plant after months of protests and negotiations, saying it is not commercially viable. |
| Celebrities had campaigned to keep the factory open, and the closure provoked protests around the world. | Celebrities had campaigned to keep the factory open, and the closure provoked protests around the world. |
| Workers will be joined by a male choir on their final rally in the town. | |
| Waving union banners, staff will lead a procession from the factory, and will be joined by a band and the Treorchy Male Choir. | |
| 'Heads high' | 'Heads high' |
| Mervyn Burnett, a senior organiser for the GMB union, said: "It will be an extremely emotional day and there will be a lot of upset people. | Mervyn Burnett, a senior organiser for the GMB union, said: "It will be an extremely emotional day and there will be a lot of upset people. |
| "But they will come out with their heads held high." | "But they will come out with their heads held high." |
| The company, which took over the plant in 1989, announced last September it planned to leave the Rhondda and move polo-shirt production overseas where costs were lower. | The company, which took over the plant in 1989, announced last September it planned to leave the Rhondda and move polo-shirt production overseas where costs were lower. |
| Treorchy's production will now be shared between sites in Spain, Poland, Portugal and China. | Treorchy's production will now be shared between sites in Spain, Poland, Portugal and China. |
| Although campaigners failed to secure the 309 jobs, it appears their efforts have not been in vain. | Although campaigners failed to secure the 309 jobs, it appears their efforts have not been in vain. |
| Morale is still good - they're pleased with what the campaign has achieved Mervyn Burnett, GMB | Morale is still good - they're pleased with what the campaign has achieved Mervyn Burnett, GMB |
| Mr Burnett said concessions, which include enhanced redundancy payments, long-service awards, and around £500,000 for workforce re-training, were mainly down to campaign efforts. | Mr Burnett said concessions, which include enhanced redundancy payments, long-service awards, and around £500,000 for workforce re-training, were mainly down to campaign efforts. |
| He said although the workers would always resent the company, they had "come to terms" with the closure. | He said although the workers would always resent the company, they had "come to terms" with the closure. |
| "Morale is still good - they're pleased with what the campaign has achieved," he added. | "Morale is still good - they're pleased with what the campaign has achieved," he added. |
| Support from Hollywood actors including Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Sheen, singer Sir Tom Jones, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and singer-turned-TV presenter Charlotte Church, helped give the campaign a wealth of publicity. | Support from Hollywood actors including Ioan Gruffudd and Michael Sheen, singer Sir Tom Jones, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and singer-turned-TV presenter Charlotte Church, helped give the campaign a wealth of publicity. |
| At the end of January, Burberry offered to donate the factory to the community - a gesture dismissed by the GMB Union as a "PR move". | At the end of January, Burberry offered to donate the factory to the community - a gesture dismissed by the GMB Union as a "PR move". |
| The following month, the clothing firm was forced to pull out of sponsoring a Bafta reception in London after it emerged workers were planning to protest outside the event. | The following month, the clothing firm was forced to pull out of sponsoring a Bafta reception in London after it emerged workers were planning to protest outside the event. |
| Many celebrities have added their support to the campaign | Many celebrities have added their support to the campaign |
| On Valentine's Day the campaign went global with protests on the streets of Paris, New York, Chicago, Strasbourg and Las Vegas. | On Valentine's Day the campaign went global with protests on the streets of Paris, New York, Chicago, Strasbourg and Las Vegas. |
| Burberry has since revised its offer to donate the factory, and has pledged to give the community £150,000 a year for the next ten years. | Burberry has since revised its offer to donate the factory, and has pledged to give the community £150,000 a year for the next ten years. |
| Of the 309 workers originally facing unemployment, 175 have already found alternative work. All staff will receive redundancy packages of no less than £3,000. | Of the 309 workers originally facing unemployment, 175 have already found alternative work. All staff will receive redundancy packages of no less than £3,000. |
| There are hopes that a workers' co-operative, which could employ anything between 30 and 70 people, will be established in Treorchy. | There are hopes that a workers' co-operative, which could employ anything between 30 and 70 people, will be established in Treorchy. |
| Earlier this month, Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed met a delegation of Burberry employees and pledged to place orders with them, should it get off the ground. | Earlier this month, Harrods owner Mohamed al Fayed met a delegation of Burberry employees and pledged to place orders with them, should it get off the ground. |
| Burberry has also announced it would support the venture. | Burberry has also announced it would support the venture. |
| 'Sad day' | 'Sad day' |
| Leighton Andrews, who is the Labour candidate in the Rhondda and who, as the AM for the past four years, has been at the forefront of the campaign, said it was a "sad day" for the Rhondda. | Leighton Andrews, who is the Labour candidate in the Rhondda and who, as the AM for the past four years, has been at the forefront of the campaign, said it was a "sad day" for the Rhondda. |
| "We have all fought hard to keep it open, and we will continue to try to find jobs for those who are left," he added. | "We have all fought hard to keep it open, and we will continue to try to find jobs for those who are left," he added. |
| Paying tribute to the workers' campaign, Plaid's Rhondda candidate, Jill Evans, said: "I've been privileged to campaign with them and they're proof of the strong community in Treorchy and the Rhondda as a whole." | |
| She added: "We must make sure this never happens again." | She added: "We must make sure this never happens again." |
| A spokesman for Burberry said: "The Treorchy factory will close on 30 March, following a 12-month review from 2005-2006; a thorough consultation process and a three-month extension to the closure date, for employees to be retrained and to allow maximum time for staff to find alternative employment." | A spokesman for Burberry said: "The Treorchy factory will close on 30 March, following a 12-month review from 2005-2006; a thorough consultation process and a three-month extension to the closure date, for employees to be retrained and to allow maximum time for staff to find alternative employment." |