The BBC, ITV and Sky News have all covered the announcement of the additional money for the workers in the form of the loyalty bonus, and the Community Trust Fund for the Rhondda.
The full statement by the GMB and local politicians runs:
Throughout this campaign we have criticised Burberry for their unreasonable attitude towards the workers and the local community that has supported the factory over the years.
We are pleased therefore, that as a direct result of the GMB-led campaign, Burberry have made the offer of a special loyalty bonus to the workers, which our members recognised at a mass meeting yesterday as a significant improvement. But we still argue that the company should keep the factory open.
Burberry has offered to provide an ongoing contract to any realistic new venture. We will hold Burberry to this and there will be further discussions about it.
The offer on the table now amounts to a multimillion pound improvement on what was originally offered in September.
We welcome Burberry’s agreement – as a direct result of the campaign in which we have been proud to take part – to provide £150,000 a year for ten years for a special Trust Fund for the Rhondda. We look forward to making sure that it makes a real difference to people’s lives in the Rhondda. This is a unique achievement by a campaign of this kind.
This campaign has secured significant additional benefits for the workers and the community. The campaign has secured a total of an extra four months life for the factory so far. The campaign has secured an enhanced redundancy offer and an exceptional loyalty bonus for staff. The campaign has secured £1.5 million for a special Rhondda Trust.
We will never accept the business or moral case for the closure of this factory and we will continue to argue for its continuation.
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