Remploy Support LuDun
Tuesday 8th February
2011
GMB MEMBERS FROM REMPLOY
FACTORIES JOIN LUDUN WORKERS AND
FAMILIES IN RALLY OUTSIDE CENTRAL BEDS COUNCIL MEETING THAT
DECIDES FUTURE OF LUDUN DISABLED WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY 15TH
FEBRUARY
GMB members who work at Remploy
sheltered factories will join LuDun workers and their families
outside the Central Beds Executive Council meeting where
Councillors will decide the future of the LuDun sheltered workshop
next Tuesday (15th February) at:
8.30
a.m.(please note early morning start
time)
Central Bedfordshire
Council Offices
Priory House, Monks
Walk,
Chicksands,
Shefford,
Bedfordshire, SG17
5TQ
GMB members and Organisers will be
available for interview and comment.
Local MPs Kelvin Hopkins MP and Andrew
Selous MP have written in support of the LuDun workforce.
LuDun works is a sheltered workshop
based in Dunstable where 24 adults with disabilities are employed
in picture framing, logistics and milling activities. This service
was originally established in 1956 to provide training,
accommodation and other services and facilities for people with
disability or learning disabilities who were incapable in obtaining
normal employment. It is jointly funded with Luton Borough Council
and receives support from DWP.
In December 2010 GMB called on Luton
Council and Central Bedforshire Council to keep LuDun sheltered
workshop in Dunstable open and save the 24 jobs of adults with
disabilities. GMB asked that the councillors use reserves
which amount jointly to over £37million. Central Bedfordshire
Council also has council tax arrears of £6.1m.
A GMB survey of disabled workers who
made redundant from Remploy sheltered factories clearly shows what
happened to disabled workers who lose their jobs. 74% unemployed,
74.5% less money, 74.4% no pension with new job and 74.5% less
holidays and 75% no sick pay.
GMB campaign to save the 24 jobs
received a boost when local business group, ConsortiCo Ltd., wrote
to the Council painting a positive future for LuDun. The letter
criticised the negativity and restrictive attitude of the council
and said that the council holds the key to keeping LuDun open by
're-thinking its own procurement policy' by making full use of the
EU rules that allow public bodies to favour sheltered workshops for
goods and services. ConsortiCo also told the Council to remove its
ban on LuDun marketing the goods and services that it is able to
provide to business and councils if only given the chance.
Warren Kenny, GMB Senior Organiser
said, "The Council cannot possibly close LuDun while the
council reserves are sitting in the bank doing nothing and only a
tiny proportion is needed to fund the workshop. Local business
group ConsortiCo's suggestion of the Council's using its power to
procure goods and services from LuDun which it is fully entitled to
do under European legislation and a proper marketing campaign is
all that it would take to introduce the sustainability the council
have suggested is missing from the business.
GMB says don't let these
workers down."
Ends
Contact: Warren
Kenny, GMB on 07843 632 394 or 01462 499650 or Richard O'Leary, GMB
Organiser on 07710 631347 or Martin Foster, GMB Branch Secretary on
07960 957839 or GMB Press Office: Rose Conroy on 07974 251823 or
Steve Pryle on 07921 289880.
Notes to Editors:
1 See below
the full text of ConsortiCo letter of support for LuDun
follows:
25 January 2011
Peter Hollick
LuDun Industries
LuDun Works
Liscombe Road
Dunstable
LU5 4PN
Dear Peter
LuDun
Thank you for the time you and Matt
have made for Nick and I to discuss a possible future for LuDun,
possibly with the support of ConsortiCo.
Can I start by saying that I feel it
would be a sad loss if LuDun was lost to the community and to the
people who work there. However it is very clear that the
business model is not sustainable in the context of the local
authorities withdrawing their funding.
The options discussed include a
combination of reducing overheads by moving to smaller premises and
increasing income. It is unclear to me what basis the
calculations on increasing income are made, although you told us
that all marketing had been vetoed pending a decision about the
future of LuDun, and clearly this has curtailed any growth that
might have been achievable over recent months. The growth
estimates seem ambitious, but of course might be assisted by a move
to more prominent town centre premises. However I would ask
what might be lost by such a move, eg your ability to undertake
larger planing work.
I can see great potential for LuDun to
work with other similar organisations under a co-operative, either
at the LuDun building or alternative premises. There are a
number of organisations which might have an interest in a
co-operative, or at least sharing premises, such as organisations
recycling furniture, garden tools, gardening schemes, pat testing
etc. It seems to be that there is a significant piece of work
needed to market test such an approach, and to build a business
model which is sustainable without local authority funding.
My advice would be for the Trustees to
invest in a business consultant who can:
Evaluate the options set out by the
Trustees
Help restructure the Trustee Board so
that it includes a greater skill mix, especially in the areas of
business and marketing.
Undertake some market testing with
local people and businesses to test assumptions about viability of
short listed options
Liaise with the relevant third sector
organisations to test out options around a co-operative venture
Liaise with local authorities/NHS to
review options for "alternative procurement" of services offered by
LuDun *see below
Advise on a business model. This will
need to address:
the overall business objectives
of LuDun – i.e whether it exists to provide long-term employment or
shorter term training and work experience
Whether the business model could be
augmented by additional service delivery, along the lines of Beds
Garden Carers – i.e could LuDun provide a viable alternative to day
centre provision?
Identification of critical others,
particularly potential funders
* One thing I think worth mentioning
is that the local authority could support an enterprise like LuDun
by re-thinking its procurement processes. For example the
local authority routinely procures services such as pat testing,
litter picking and grounds and gardens maintenance which could
easily be secured through third sector organisations which provide
employment opportunities for people who find it hard to obtain
employment. Perhaps, with your other hat on, you could
advocate for such an approach!
The aim of ConsortiCo is to operate as
a "super-contractor" – i.e to win public sector contracts, and then
to sub-contract to third sector member organisations for the
service delivery. As such we may be able to assist in bidding for
relevant contracts once the business is on a sustainable
footing. We might also be able to put you in contact with
like-minded organisations which could complement your service offer
and widen employment options. As we are very keen to drive
and support strategic developments which create sustainability for
our sector, and maintains local services for local people, we may
also be able to assist in the development of your enterprise once
the model has been clarified.
I hope this is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Carolyn Boyd
Development Director
2 LuDun works
is a sheltered workshop based in Dunstable where 24 adults with
disabilities are employed in picture framing and mounts, Wood
Machining and milling activities, Packing, Mail shots and Light
Assembly. This service was originally established in 1956 to
provide training, accommodation and other services and facilities
for people with disability or learning disabilities who were
incapable in obtaining normal employment. It is jointly funded with
Luton Borough Council and receives support from DWP