Welsh Government should think outside ‘the Box’

250 workers at Crown Packaging in South Wales were dropped a bombshell last week with the announcement that the plant, which has been a landmark in Neath for almost 80 years and is known locally as ‘the Box’, was to close due to alleged ‘overcapacity’.

The loss of these relatively well paid jobs would have a big impact not just on the workers and their families but also a knock on effect on this small town.

Wayne Davies, Unite convener at the plant, spoke to the Socialist Party’s Alec Thraves:

“There is virtually no chance of getting similarly paid jobs in this area. A lot of our members have worked at the Box for decades and this is a devastating blow for them as it is for those with just a few years’ service. That’s why we need to do all we can to fight to keep this plant open and ensure a future for our members and their families.”

This multinational company has no loyalty to its workforce and will have no hesitation in switching production to its other European plants.

If Crown Packaging is determined to end decades of manufacturing at the Box then Unite must demand that the Welsh Government steps in to provide the financial resources to save these jobs and prepare a new plan of production, publicly owned and controlled, that can secure a future for these workers.