Remploy Strike 26th January
Wednesday 25th January 2012
GMB MEMBERS AT REMPLOY IN CHESTERFIELD
AND SPRINGBURN IN GLASGOW STRIKE TOMORROW
The strike is to oppose the
introduction of employees on lower terms and conditions of
employment
GMB members employed at Remploy factories in
Chesterfield and at Springburn in Glasgow will take strike action
tomorrow, Thursday 26th January 2012, over the possible
takeover of the Remploy Healthcare Group by a company called
Websters which will lead to the implementation of a two tier
payment system.
There will be picket lines in operation from
5:30 a.m. at Remploy Chesterfield and at 7 a.m. at Remploy
Springburn site addresses as follows:
REMPLOY
LTD,
SHEFFIELD
ROAD,
WHITTINGTON
MOOR,
CHESTERFIELD
S41
8NJ
REMPLOY
LTD,
ATLAS INDUSTRIAL
ESTATE,
600 EDGEFAULD
ROAD,
SPRINGBURN,
GLASGOW
G21
4NA
All 54 Remploy factories are under threat of
closure when current public funding ends in April 2013. If these
proposals go ahead up to 4,000 workers will lose their jobs.
Another threat is that the factories are
rendered less economic being only 50% loaded because either public
bodies have failed to support them with work as allowed under EU
rules or their own managers are turning down work.
GMB has shown that it would cost the Treasury
less to keep the Remploy factories operating fully loaded rather
than putting the workers out of work on welfare. The majority of
Remploy workers who lost their jobs in 2008 are still on welfare 3
years later.
The crucial campaign objective for Remploy
workers is to get the loading up from 50% now to 100% and to keep
these factories open. Local councils have responded positively to
requests to give more work to the Remploy factories.
Phil Davies, GMB National Secretary said,
“GMB members at these two Remploy factories which are part
of the Remploy Healthcare Group voted in an legal strike ballot by
more than 90% in favour of strike action or action short of a
strike.
The reasons they are on strike are
because of the introduction of a two tier pay and conditions
structure, a move towards the privatisation of the Remploy
Healthcare Group, the employment of non-disabled staff who have
been brought into the Chesterfield factory and are being paid
differently from the disabled workers i.e. less sick pay, no final
salary pension, no trade union recognition and less
holidays.
Overall the 54 Remploy factories
across the UK (see list below) face the threat of closure or the
threat of being taken over and eventually closed. This strike
action is the first by Remploy workers to save their jobs and their
terms and conditions of employment. They deserve the support of the
UK public.
Ends
Contact: Phil Davies, GMB
National Secretary for Remploy on 07850 966465 or Les Woodward, GMB
Convener at Remploy on 07977 436351 or GMB Press Office: 07921
289880.
Contacts for other Remploy Factory
areas: Les Woodward GMB National, and Wales Remploy
Convener on 07977 436251; Yorkshire Steve Morris, GMB Organiser on
07958 156843. James Stribley, GMB Shop Steward for Sheffield
07525 136396, Tony Gledhill, GMB Organiser Leeds 0113
2726970, Bob McNeill, GMB Organiser for Sheffield 0114 2768017;
East Midlands Martin Alan, GMB Organiser on 07966 327 962, Richard
Taylor, GMB Organiser on 07966 327981, Paul Bissett, GMB Organiser
on 07966 327985, Chris Needham , GMB Organiser on 07966 327 974;
South Coast Gary Cook, GMB Organiser on 07712 677594, Paul
Maloney, GMB Senior Organiser on 07801 343 839; South West Stuart
Fegan, GMB Organiser on 07912 890 4434; Wales Mervyn Burnett, GMB
Organiser on 07980 753 115, Mark Jones, GMB Organiser on 07771
980 281; West Midlands Dominic Hinks , GMB Organiser on 07957
266945: North West Charlie Leonard, GMB Senior Organiser on 07974
018408, Brian Derbyshire, GMB Organiser on 07740 804059, Stephen
Carr , GMB Organiser on 07974 018416; Cumbria Kevin Young, GMB
Organiser on 07870 176 747: Scotland John Moist, GMB Organiser on
07752 147 808, Richard Leonard, GMB Senior Organiser on 07703
456447; North East Billy Coates, GMB Senior Organiser on 07870 176
734, Val Scott, GMB Organiser on 07870 176 726; East Anglia and
Northern Home Counties and North London Glen Holdom, GMB
Organiser on 07974 251 723.
Notes to Editors:
The Remploy factories are in Aberdare,
Aberdeen, Abertillery, Acton, Ashington, Barking, Barrow,
Birkenhead, Birmingham, Blackburn, Bolton, Bridgend, Bristol,
Burnley, Chesterfield, Cleator Moor, Clydebank, Coventry,
Cowdenbeath, Croespenmaen, Derby, Dundee, Edinburgh, Gateshead,
Heywood, Huddersfield, Leeds, Leicester, Leven, Manchester, Merthyr
Tydfil, Motherwell, Neath Port Talbot, Newcastle, North London,
North Staffordshire, Norwich, Oldham, Penzance, Pontefract, Poole,
Porth, Portsmouth, Preston, Sheffield, Southampton, Spennymoor,
Springburn, Stirling, Sunderland, Swansea, Wigan, Worksop and
Wrexham.