Unite Fears Over Campbell's Possible Takeover

Fears of a takeover at United Biscuits (UB) have prompted a call from Unite for talks to safeguard jobs.

Recent reports claimed US food group Campbell Soup Company is considering a £1.5bn bid for the biscuits division of UB.

The company employs 941 staff at its Aintree Jacob’s plant and 151 at its Binns Road administrative centre in Wavertree.

More than 70 of the Binns Road jobs are due to be “off-shored” to India, despite a bitter fight to avert the cuts last year.

However, Unite said it will insist on immediate talks in a bid to preserve as many of the almost 1,100 Liverpool jobs as possible should a bid emerge.

Unite regional officer Debbie Brannan said: “Our priority is preserving jobs.

“At this moment we have not heard anything one way or another, but if this did come to fruition we would look for early consultation to minimise any impact it could have on job losses for people who work there, but also to minimise any impact on the wider economy of Merseyside, particularly at this moment in the economic climate.”