Remploy legal threat

By Elizabeth Choppin

The GMB union has vowed to launch legal action against the government and sheltered employment provider Remploy over lack of consultation on the company’s factory closure plan as it moves more disabled employees into mainstream jobs.

The announcement in March followed the closure of the Remploy factory in York. By mid-April, 28 of the company’s 83 factories will have shut or merged. Union officials say a further three factories in Wisbech, Poole and Manchester could now also close because more than 2,000 employees had taken the £5,000 voluntary redundancy package.

Phil Davies, GMB national secretary for Remploy, said unions would pursue Remploy and the government in court but had been delayed while they helped disabled workers affected by the closures. He said: “Those people who thought closing factories was a good idea should come and see the devastation amongst some of these workers. It’s been very traumatic.”

He said there would be further protests in York this month and at Labour’s autumn party conference.

A Remploy spokeswoman emphasised that the cost-savings of the closures would allow the company to quadruple the number of disabled people it helps place in mainstream employment.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokeswoman said legal action was a matter for Remploy.