1st February 2013 via our comrades at Respect For the Unemployed & Benefit Claimants
George Scollan, 58, had worked for Remploy , which specialises in providing work for people with disabilities, since 1973. But the factory, in Springburn, closed yesterday, with the loss of more than 40 jobs.
Colleagues said he had “lived for his job” and grown “more and more depressed” about the prospect of unemployment.
Phil Brannan, a friend and senior shop steward for the GMB union / Unite the Union consortium at Remploy, said:
“This is an absolute tragedy. It’s too early to say what has happened, but it is too much of a coincidence for him to be found dead on the day his work closed down.
“As far as I know, he wasn’t suffering any particular health issues, but he had become extremely upset recently about the work situation.“He had applied for a job with one of the organisations taking people on from Remploy, but he was unsuccessful and he was bitterly disappointed.”
Respect For the Unemployed & Benefit Claimants – pays tribute to an outstanding trade unionist & a campaigner for the rights of both workers & the unemployed, disabled alike :
“we will remember him & the banner will continue to be carried in his memory”
Springburn was the fourth Remploy site in Scotland to close since the UK Department for Work and Pensionssaid last year its £320 million budget for specialist disability employment services had been protected, but that it wanted to spend the money “more effectively” to focus support on individuals rather than loss-making institutions such as Remploy.
Mr Scollan’s colleagues held a minute’s silence to honour his memory yesterday.
Mr Brannan said:
“George never claimed a day’s benefit in his life and he felt that once he had been made redundant he would be labelled as a scrounger.
“Through no fault of his own, he lost his job today. The government know full well that many of these people now face long-term unemployment. It is a disgrace.”
Mr Scollan was the leader of a team of oxy-acetylene brazers assembling wheelchairs at the factory. It understood he had a daughter in her 20s. It is believed he had been living apart from his wife at the time of his death.
Colleague Alex Robertson, 51, said:
“George was normally quite vocal, quite cheerful, but recently he had become very depressed.
“We are all dealing with it in different ways, but George sort of went into his shell.”
A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said:
“At 10:10am this morning, the body of a man was discovered within a room in a guesthouse in Firhill Road.
“A post-mortem will take place in due course to establish the exact cause of death. However police are not treating the death as suspicious.”
A Remploy spokesman said:
“We are distressed and shocked by the news that one of our long-serving employees was tragically found dead at home this morning. George was receiving support from Remploy and Job Centre Plus to help him find another job.”
“We are supporting his work colleagues who have been offered one-to-one meetings with their manager and specialist HR support at the factory. Remploy is also organising a session with a trauma counsellor for any employees requiring further support at this very difficult time.”
Poor man .Bless him and his family ..words fail me .The cruelty of what is going on I hope will end ,and i support this group so much
I am shocked. My condolences to his family.
Im’e glad sites like this are putting a human face and story to people who are dying,where this inhumane Government are more focused on looking at it as numbers and statistics, seemingly bereft of any compassion and thought to human suffering.
They are truly disgusting!
Which proves the big government ” lie” of helping people into work and the workers.
A very sad situation for this man and his family, my condolences also.
We all have *so much* to thank the people pulling Cameron’s and all other crooked politician’s strings! It’s going to be a wonderful world when all the people are super-fit and the sick and disabled cease to exist. Fortunately, most of us won’t be in it!
Very sad, but I am wondering why Britain no longer needs people with skills to make wheelchairs.
My, and my family’s, sincere and deepest condolences to Mr Scollans’ family, friends and colleagues.
he new how hard it would be to get another job after advising them for over 20yrs but then another soul lost to this shitte lot who be better doing whot the japaness used to do fall on their swords but then they have no morals at all , rip George Scollan may you have at least found piece jeff3
A reef with someone’s name on it and a summary of their life should be sent to all political party heads, IDS and several others every time something like this happens… Just to bring home to them that people out there are f**king DYING.
My sincere condolences to hih entire family and friends.
My condolences also to Mr Scollan’s family and colleagues. I was so sad to read this story. He must have helped so many people in his life with making their wheelchairs.
so very sorry my condolences goe to his familey
Just a quick message from George’s sister Catherine here to thank you all for the lovely words, still shocked and just want to say that he will be sadly missed, he put in a great fight for his job as it was his life, god bless brother xxx
God bless you Catherine and all the family. We will hold George in our hearts as we step up our battle against this inhuman government. From all at Black Triangle Campaign XXX
Hi Catherine, my name is Angela Scollan, my dad was James Scollan, Nellies son, i think my dad and George were cousins, my dad passed nearly two years ago, please accept our condolences on your loss.
I am so sad to hear this story. =( I too, send my condolences to Mr Scollan’s family and colleagues.
When will the public WAKE UP and see what the government is truly “achieving” with all their cuts and closures…
the ‘public’ have no knowledge of this sad event. It was not exactly headline news and never will be with today’s complacent media.
We Will Remember Him. When the time comes for somebody to be made accountable, we will remember him.
Hi Angela, so sorry to hear a out unle jim, didn’t have much contact with the family after my mum and jean died, I don’t think George knew about your dad but we are really sorry to hear of his passing, thanks for posting and letting me know x
Whatever the factory meant to him, we will never really know. One thing we can surmise, is, it must have been the most important place in his life. The very reason for his being, a friend full of friends and indelible memories so close to his heart….
Retirement can signal a time to settle down and put your feet up. Most look forward to it then find it hard to cope. Change to a lifestyle is a big blow to the system. George Scollan epitomizes the link of love to his fellow workers and his workplace, it was his temple.
It may have closed, but its memory lives on.
Farewell George, i hope you have been reunited…
I worked at remploy it becomes your life your family you reason for living god bless you George Cameron will pay