The Press Association has now filed a story about the Remploy closures.

Here it is.

Hundreds more disabled workers at Remploy factories are at risk of losing their jobs under fresh closure plans, the government announced today. 

A further 875 employees, including 682 disabled people, have been told they face compulsory redundancy. 

Ministers announced earlier this year that a number of Remploy factories would close, arguing that the budget for disabled employment services could be spent more effectively.

Thirty-four factories have ceased operations since then and are in the process of closing, but the future of a further 18 sites remained unclear. 

Some of the factories have the potential to move out of government-funded support, but others are set to close, ministers said today.

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “From today, Remploy will invite expressions of interest to take over the running of the remaining factories. 

“Our priority throughout this process is to safeguard jobs, which is why we are offering a wage subsidy of up to £6,400 per disabled employee to encourage interested parties to come forward.

“We have also been clear from the start that we have protected the £320 million budget for disability employment services. 

“But we are following the advice of disability expert Liz Sayce to use the money more effectively to get more disabled people into mainstream jobs – the same as everyone else.

“All disabled employees affected by the changes will be guaranteed tailored support from an £8 million package, including a personal case worker, to help with the transition into mainstream employment.”

Phil Davies of the GMB union said:

“This is devastating news for the disabled workers in Remploy and gives the lie to the chancellor’s claim in his autumn statement yesterday that the vulnerable would be taken care of by the government.”

The Press Association has snapped this.

A further 875 employees, including 682 disabled workers, are at risk of losing their jobs at Remploy factories, the government announced today.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2012/dec/06/osborne-autumn-statement-reaction-live-blog

See also: 

Fury as axed Remploy staff are told they’ll stack supermarket shelves for no pay

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4 Responses

  1. Liz Sayce can’t even support volunteers working under her very nose. A disabled young man was working at RADAR as a volunteer for 18 months before the restructuring when RADAR was taken up into Disability Rights UK. Once she took over , it took just 3 months for him to feel he didn’t belong and decided to leave simply because he wasn’t receiving the support from the remaining staff to enable him to continue to be a volunteer. She needs to sort out her own back yard before spouting off about disabled people being in mainstream jobs. How long will it take before she and the politicians fect the truth that there aren’t even jobs for multiskilled graduates and non disabled people let alone people with disabilities many of whom may need a raft of support in the workplace. Disability Rights UK didn’t get it right for their volunteer; hardly a beacon of example.

  2. as above whot jobs where and when but no it wont be you or i it will be some able bodied person who have it so he,s leaving them to a lonely life on welfare where now no job no propects ah its the tory way making you a social scrounger ah the tory party smiles whilst you loose your job and best of all contracts sold onto their mates ah the tory party of the people ops should be millioniares jeff3

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