Keep Burberry British

Last day in video

Some video from the last day's events has been added to Youtube. More will go up in due course.

An Emotional Day

Today the Burberry factory in Treorchy closed for the last time. We didn't win the battle to keep the factory open, but we did win more money for the workers and a trust fund for the Rhondda for the next ten years. And in the background there is the possibility of a new venture with Burberry, Harrod's, and designer 's sample production, which could create some new jobs.

It was a sad day, but this is the Rhondda, and so it was a proud day too. The workers can be proud of what they achieved on their campaign. And the Rhondda is proud of the Burberry workers. Today was an assertion of community values, values that still have a real meaning in the Rhondda.

This was an unprecedented camapign. Its story has been told internationally. No other campaign against a factory closure has achieved what this campaign has achieved. We will record more of today's events on this weblog, including pictures and footage.

Meanwhile, here are some of the news stories that have appeared. There will be more tomorrow.

From www.icwales.co.uk(Western Mail, South Wales Echo and PA) : this and this and this and this and this and this.

From BBC Wales: this and this and this .

More in due course.

Meanwhile, thank you to all our supporters across the world. And to our celebrity supporters. And to those in the media who helped spark off the campaign - you know who you are.

Concert

Full details of tomorrow's concert in Ystrad are contained on the Pop factory website.

We don't know whether there are any tickets left.

WSJ Today

The campaign is covered in the Wall St Journal today.

Meanwhile, the Echo looks ahead to the Select Committee hearing next week.

Strasbourg says "stop Burberry breaking our hearts"

THE fight to keep Burberry jobs in Wales reached Europe today as Euro-MPs, led by Wales MEPs Glenys Kinnock and Eluned Morgan, sent a Valentine’s message to company bosses to ‘Stop Breaking Our Hearts’.

Speaking from Strasbourg, Labour MEP Glenys Kinnock said: “By moving production to China Burberry is breaking the hearts of its loyal and hardworking Welsh workforce and devastating an already deprived community.

“The company has also failed to give guarantees that the factories in China, to where production is likely to be moved, will not employ child labour or use forced labour.

“At a time when consumers increasingly make choices according to company ethics, Burberry’s actions are not only morally reprehensible but commercially unsound.”

Eluned Morgan added: “Burberry's decision to move production to China is sheer corporate greed. The company’s sales are booming and profits are healthy. There is absolutely no reason for the company to pull out of the Rhondda Valley.

“I and my European colleagues today urge Burberry to rediscover its sense of Corporate Social Responsibility and keep its Treorchy factory open.”

MEPs from the European Parliamentary Labour Party today joined together in a show of solidarity with Burberry workers and urged the company’s chief executive, Angela Ahrendts, to reconsider her decision to close the Treorchy plant.

It comes as five international Valentine’s Day demonstrations are held outside Burberry stores in London, Paris, New York, Chicago and Las Vegas.

Earlier this week it was announced that some of Wales' top rock acts will perform at a concert on March 24 to raise funds for a trust to support affected Burberry workers.

Stop Burberry Breaking our Hearts

News coverage of the international demonstrations against Burberry today started in Ireland at the weekend, then Australia. Interviews for French media were done yesterday. The Guardian, Mirror and Western Mail today both mention Ben Elton joining the campaign. The Financial Times carries a story about the protests as does the Daily Post. It is also running on the BBC, Sky and on RTE in Ireland.

Protests take place at the following UK time equivalents:

London 10.30am

Paris 11.30am

Cardiff 12.30pm

Chicago 5.30pm

New York 6pm

Las Vegas 10.30pm

Protest details including venues and local times are on the GMB site.

Pop Factory concert

The Pop Factory has for some weeks been planning a concert on 24th March in support of the Burberry workers. They have now confirmed the line-up will include The Automatic, The Alarm and Gruff Rhys of the Super Furry Animals.

Here's the BBC report. This is the Western Mail and this is the Echo.

It's now hit the NME, ITV and Channel Four.

Demonstration coverage

It's been an eventful few days. Coverage of the London demonstration was gained in the Mirror, Independent, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Express, Sunday Mirror, News of the World, The People, The Observer, Wales, on Sunday, The Echo, the Western Mail, and on the BBC and ITV.

As the Independent said, Burberry's decision to offer the factory to the community,  shows it is wobbling. Some of the reaction to this is listed here and here and here. Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan had this to say in the National Assembly on Tuesday.

The campaign continues

Burberry workers head for London today to protest outside the company's New Bond St and other stores.

Yesterday, Burberry offered the factory to 'the Welsh community'. The reaction has been swift from unions and local politicians. The campaign continues.

The factory is no good without jobs. The factory needs major investment to address the problems with electricity and to bring it up to modern standards. Burberry has failed to invest in it and even failed to take up the full grant first offered by the Welsh Assembly Government four years ago. The offer of the factory does nothing directly for those workers facing redundancy, most of whom will receive less than £5000.

Lobby of Parliament

Outside the House of Commons at lunchtime. The BBC report is here.

There was a photocall outside the House of Commons which consisted campaigners cutting in two a Burberry tie to illustrate Burberry 'cutting ties' between itself and the UK. A large number of MPs attended the photocall.

Mervyn Burnett, Senior GMB Organiser said: "Burberry is as British as the changing of the guard. It was founded in 1856 and its merchandise has been manufactured in the UK since then. People buying the high quality goods produced in Treorchy expect that they will continue to be made by skilled workers in the UK.

"The GMB has had massive support for this campaign to keep this British manufacturing institution in Britain. Burberry enjoys a Royal Warrant from the Queen and the Prince of Wales. The only reason for the proposed closure is that the company wants to move production to non union workplaces overseas where the workforce is exploited and the company can make more money as a result."