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Protest at label's London stores Protest at label's London stores
(about 2 hours later)
More than 100 workers from the Burberry clothing factory in south Wales have taken their protest at closure plans to the label's top London stores.More than 100 workers from the Burberry clothing factory in south Wales have taken their protest at closure plans to the label's top London stores.
They are handing out leaflets outside the firm's Regent and Bond Street outlets to "put a human face" on the proposals to axe up to 300 job. They handed out leaflets outside the firm's Regent and Bond Street outlets to "put a human face" on the proposals to axe up to 300 job by 31 March.
GMB organiser Mervyn Burnett said: "The public have been very interested. They hadn't realised what is going on." Rhondda AM Leighton Andrews said the people passing the two stores had "listened to what we had to say".
Burberry says the Treorchy, Rhondda plant is not "commercially viable". Burberry says the Treorchy, Rhondda, plant is not "commercially viable".
Around 120 workers left south Wales before dawn for the demonstration, where they have been joined by London-based GMB union activists. Around 120 workers left south Wales for the demonstration, where they were joined by London-based GMB union activists and officials.
Burberry does not need to move manufacturing abroad - sales are up - profits are up Mervyn Burnett, GMB union
Campaigners say the firm does not need to shut the Treorchy plant, which makes polo shirts, and point to the firm's £74m profits for the first half of this year.Campaigners say the firm does not need to shut the Treorchy plant, which makes polo shirts, and point to the firm's £74m profits for the first half of this year.
They say closing the Rhondda-based factory would add only 2% to Burberry's profits.They say closing the Rhondda-based factory would add only 2% to Burberry's profits.
The London protest, expected to last two hours, was an hour late in starting after the convoy was delayed by snow on the M4 in Wales. It began with a march from Marble Arch. 'Cap'
Burberry does not need to move manufacturing abroad - sales are up - profits are up Mervyn Burnett, GMB union The London protest began with the workers marching from Marble Arch before splitting into two groups to stand outside the stores for about two hours.
Last week Burberry agreed to put back the factory closure from the end of the year to 31 March 2007.
But this was called a "slight reprieve" by the politicians and union leaders leading the campaign to have Burberry drop the closure plans altogether.
Mr Burnett said the demonstration on Saturday aimed to show the public how Burberry was "dumping people on the scrapheap".
'Social policy'
He said: "Everybody recognises Burberry as a British label. Everybody assumes the good are make the UK.
The protesters left before dawn for the trip to London
"This closure will see a third of the manufacturing workforce of Burberry moved away. We know it's going to Asia, probably China.
"Burberry does not need to move manufacturing abroad. Sales are up. Profits are up.
"They have a social policy in terms of their employees and the environment. They are just dumping that policy in pursuit of more profits."
The campaign to keep the factory open has been led by Rhondda politicians Leighton Andrews AM, who travelled from Wales on one of the coaches, and Chris Bryant MP who met the protest in London.
Burberry has three shops in central London, one each in Bond Street and Regent Street and one in Knightsbridge. There are also concessions at Harrods and Harvey Nichols.
The firm, founded in 1856, also has five more shops at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, one at each of the terminals.
Burberry declined to comment on the demonstration but a spokeswoman said a training support programme for its Treorchy workers would be available from Monday morning.Burberry declined to comment on the demonstration but a spokeswoman said a training support programme for its Treorchy workers would be available from Monday morning.
She added that the firm still had a manufacturing base in the UK, and had increased its workforce by 500 over the past five years to 2,000 staff currently - although it was not clear if all the 2,000 were in manufacturing.She added that the firm still had a manufacturing base in the UK, and had increased its workforce by 500 over the past five years to 2,000 staff currently - although it was not clear if all the 2,000 were in manufacturing.
Rhondda AM Leighton Andrews, who travelled up on one of two coaches, said "several thousand" leaflets had been handed out and the workers had "a very good reception" from passing members of the public.
The firm says the Treorchy plant is not commercially viable
He said: "One gentleman read the leaflet and said he would not buy Burberry any more and he threw his cap away.
"This is the start of us bringing the message home to Burberry at the consumer level, that they are in danger of wrecking their brand if they undermine its Britishness by moving their jobs offshore."
He said the GMB union, which represents staff in other Burberry plants, was looking at taking the protest to other parts of the UK.
David Prichard, 61, has worked at the Treorchy site since he was 15, and is three years away from retirement.
He said: "If the company was losing money, I could understand it, but they are making money and still shutting the place. There are young people there with mortgages."
Burberry has agreed to put back the Treorchy factory closure from the end of the year to 31 March 2007, but campaigners want the firm to drop the closure plans altogether.
Burberry which was founded in 1856 has a number of shops in and around central London.