Optimism on job prospects

Employers are lining up to take on Cadbury workers as Dunedin rushes to organise a jobs summit to support staff facing unemployment.

The meeting, called by Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, is expected to take place next week and involve agencies with a stake in the city’s economy and employment.

But some are already offering hope to Cadbury workers, including Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan, who said jobs were available in the South, and Oamaru’s Rainbow Confectionery company, which is  looking for more staff.

The offers came just a day after Mondelez International, owner of Dunedin’s Cadbury factory, announced plans to close the plant in March next year, with the loss of 362 jobs.

A final decision was expected in three weeks, but the company said it had "exhausted all the options" in trying to keep the factory open.

Mr Cadogan  said the news was "devastating" for the region, not just Dunedin.

He was aware of four workers who car-pooled from Balclutha to work in the Cadbury factory each day, and others from Milton, who would struggle "to put food on the table" as a result, he said.

That prompted Mr Cadogan to call Mr Cull to discuss the closure, and offer to help, following Thursday’s announcement.

"Our thoughts are with the people of Cadbury’s. It’s a regional issue and we will be doing our best to assist in any way we can," he said.

At present, six 45-seat buses made the daily return trip from Dunedin to Clutha,  ferrying workers to and from employers such as  the Finegand plant, he said.

The three-hour round trip  was not for everyone, but if Dunedin workers wanted the work, he had no problem with them taking money out of the Clutha district.

"If there’s a person who’s unemployed in Dunedin and they can take their $1000 home to Dunedin, why the hell would I care?"

The expanding Rainbow Confectionery company was also seeking more staff,  and was interested in employing Cadbury workers, general manager Brent Baillie said.

It would be hard for Cadbury workers to leave early, if it meant giving up redundancy packages, but he would consider keeping vacancies open.

Ministry of Social Development regional labour market manager Emma Hamilton, of Dunedin, said her organisation had also fielded inquiries from employers interested in taking on Cadbury staff.

Some, such as Cadbury’s engineers and trades staff, would be in particularly high demand, but the workers’ overall reputation for a strong work ethic would help, she said.

There were "quite a number" of jobs available in Dunedin now, "it’s just whether employers are willing to upskill [the staff] on the job".

Ministry staff would also co-ordinate an information session at the Cadbury factory, as part of its response to the "labour market shock", to support workers, she said.

The support  would include advice on job-hunting, financial assistance and other matters, and agencies like Inland Revenue would also be on hand to help, Ms Hamilton said.

It could also conduct a "skills audit" of Cadbury staff, if they agreed, to gauge workers’ ability to take up other roles. Recruitment agencies, employers and Cadbury staff could then be brought together to try to find new jobs for the workers, and training would also be offered, if needed, to help staff take up the new roles, she said.

"It’s early days yet, but there’s definitely some potential to help out," Ms Hamilton said.

Mr Cull said he would be looking for ideas "from whatever quarter" at next week’s meeting, including Mr Cadogan’s "very constructive" suggestions.

Also yesterday, it emerged the sprawling Cadbury site could be a potential home for rebuilt Dunedin Hospital. The site, located between the city’s two one-way streets, offered a central city alternative within walking distance of the existing hospital and the University of Otago.

With Mondelez indicating it would continue the Cadbury World operation but sell the rest of the site, Mr Cull said a hospital was among the options that could be considered.

"It raises all sorts of questions about the possibilities for the hospital rebuild if there’s three major blocks, from Frederick St down, which in a sense are in a state of flux now.

"I just think the possibilities have expanded in terms of where things could go."

His comments came as Cr David Benson-Pope signalled he would table a motion at next week’s full council meeting calling for a commitment to a central city site for the hospital rebuild.

Southern Partnership Group chairman Andrew Blair, the man in charge of rebuilding Dunedin Hospital, said it was too soon to discuss "site-specific options".

Pressed on whether the Cadbury’s site could be a contender, he would only say "all possible land options will be considered when the appropriate time comes".

chris.morris@odt.co.nz