Today
Remploy announced cost-cutting plans to close 43 of its factories across Britain. A total of 32 of Remploy's 83 factories will close and a further 11 will merge with other sites under the cuts. Remploy said 2,270 disabled people and 280 non-disabled workers would be affected by the closures in England and Scotland and Wales.
Remploy says it wants to place 2,270 disabled people into mainstream employment.
Unions called for the sites to stay open and criticised six disability charities who have backed the closures.
Phil Davies, national officer for the
GMB union, said: "We do not accept this level of closures and we will fight to maintain the current factory network.
"The trade unions do not accept the financial arguments that have been put forward and we are concerned at the way the company has conducted itself in the last few weeks, including leaking information to the media."
Mr Davies also accused six charities which had supported closure plans of acting in a "despicable manner".
Mencap,
Mind, Radar,
Scope,
Leonard Cheshire and the
Royal National Institute of Deaf People have said disabled people were more likely to have fulfilling lives by working in an "inclusive environment".
Mr Davies said unions would consult their members but he raised the prospect of a national industrial action ballot across workers at the 83 factories.
A group of Remploy workers protesting outside the news conference. held banners saying "save our factories".
Les Woodward, a disabled worker based in Swansea, said: "We feel frustrated and totally betrayed by the company and the government.
"This has come as a complete shock to us all - we did not expect such decimation. They have declared war on us."
The following Remploy factories will close under the plans: Aberdare, Aberdeen, Abertillery, Aintree, Ashington, Bradford, Bridgend, Brixton (London), Halifax, Hartlepool, Hillington (Glasgow), Hull, Leatherhead, Leicester, Lydney (Forest of Dean), Manchester, Mansfield, Medway, Pinxton (Derbyshire), Plymouth, Poole, St Helens, Southend, Spennymoor, Stockton, Treforest, Wigan, Wisbech, Wishaw (Lanarkshire), Worksop, Wrexham and York.
The following factories will merge with another site: Barnsley, Birkenhead, Brynamman, Jarrow, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Pontefract, Redruth, Southampton, Stockport, Woolwich (London) and Ystradgynlais.
A final decision on their fate will be taken later this year.
Source BBC News Website