Remploy strike action

Workers angry at UK government plans to shut factories

Remploy workers in Swansea are walking out today.

They're striking in protest at plans to shut the Fforestfach site and 27 factories across the UK.

The GMB union says the decision to force the close of Remploy means that thousands of disabled people and their families will be put into poverty.

GMB and Unite members started their 24-hour strike action at 6 o'clock this morning.

The government announcement on July 10 in the House of Commons that 27 of the 36 Remploy factories would close from next month and the rest would close by December.

The remaining 9 factories will be subject to a further period of consultation regarding their future. In all 2,800 disabled workers jobs will be lost.

Phil Davies GMB National Secretary said, "Disabled people in Remploy have no taken likely the decision to withdraw their labour. These are workers who do not have large amounts of savings. So for them to sacrifice a day’s pay shows the passion with which they have trying to save their jobs.

"The government is running around like a headless chicken trying to introduce separate schemes of employment support when everybody knows that the economy is in recession and sustainable employment is not available.

"This decision to force the close of Remploy means that thousands of disabled people and their families will be put into poverty and their health is bound to suffer. At the same time as the world’s athletes is going for gold. Our members will be sent to the dole. What a disgrace the government should hang its head in shame. We can assure them that this will not be forgotten.”

Kevin Hepworth, Unite Officer said, ”We have been taken aback by the massive support, not just from the trade union movement, but from the general public. We have received hundreds of email and phone calls condemning the government for dealing with the sacking of disable d workers in such a brutal way.”

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