Friday, March 29, 2024
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Remploy axed!

THE axe has fallen on 36 Remploy factories across the UK – including seven in the North west – that aren’t making money.

After all the speculation – and following a review of disability employment services – the decision means another 1,752 disabled people will be joining the dole queue.

The North West jobs are to go in Barrow, Birkenhead, Bolton, Manchester, Oldham, Preston and Wigan.

Worst hit is Oldham where 107 disabled people will be sacked.

Another 78 jobs at factories in Burnley, Blackburn and Heywood are now also threatened.

Maria Miller, the minister for disabled people, said the factory closures had been recommended in the review led by the chief executive of Disability Rights UK, which said expensive, segregated employment should be phased out.

The doomed factories lose a total £63m a year and the average taxpayer subsidy is £25,000 for each worker – compared with just £2,900 to support a disabled person in a mainstream job.

“We have been absolutely clear that the £320m budget for specialist disability employment services has been protected,” the minister said.

“But by spending the money more effectively, we can get thousands more disabled people in work.

“That is why we have accepted the recommendation from the Sayce review to refocus support on individuals through services like Access to Work, rather than institutions like Remploy, so more disabled people can work in mainstream employment rather than Government funded segregated factories.”

Not all disability charities agree.

Mike Smith, chief executive of the UK’s largest Christian disability charity, Livability, said:

“Although, we understand that in some instances it might be necessary to close expensive and loss making factories, we do not support the urgency with which this is being done.

“More time and support should be allowed for Remploy’s disabled workforce to find other employment.”

Disability Right UK, who welcomed the Government’s announcement, is recommending that the rights of the soon to be redundant Remploy workers are protected through financial and employment support.

The charity’s vice chair, Phil Friend, said: “While the Remploy factory model was right for the 1940s but unsustainable today, it is crucial that Remploy employees have the right support – intensive where needed – to secure their financial security and move into open employment or social enterprise.”

I wonder how long it will be before most of these workers – even with the “right support” – are able to find another job . . .

 

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