Wrexham Remploy Workers To Stage Two 24 Hour Walk Outs

Remploy workers in Wrexham are set to stage two 24 hour walk outs in a week with the Railway Road factory facing closure.

The closure of the factory was announced last week with 41 members of staff facing redundancy.

Today the town’s MP Ian Lucas said that workers have been told the factory will shut its doors for the final time on 16th August.

The two 24 hours walk outs will take pace tomorrow and a week on Thursday when workers will form a picket line outside the factory.

Union officials at Unite and GMB said they hoped as many staff would join in as possible and that they were still hopeful they could change the government’s mind about the closure.

Unite Wales Secretary, Andy Richards said: “Remploy workers will be making a stand with strike action this Thursday against the shoddy and downright disgusting way they have been treated by the UK coalition government.

“Both this and next Thursday, Unite will be steadfastly supporting our members in their action and fight for the future work and wellbeing of disabled workers.”

It is understood that an offer from the private sector to take over the Wrexham factory was turned down by the UK government, Unite said that this demonstrated that ministers were “hell bent on dismantling the 67-year history of Remploy for purely ideological reasons.”

Meanwhile the Welsh Government has announced a set of measures to help any Remploy workers who do lose their jobs back into work.

The grant scheme will offer to contribute to the costs of wages for employers who take on ex-Remploy workers, as well as other costs such as necessary workplace adaptions,  for up to four years.

Wrexham AM, Lesley Griffiths said: “I am pleased to see the Welsh Government stepping in to help Remploy workers, and encourage employers to take them on.

“I hope this scheme can be of help and comfort to workers at the Wrexham Remploy, who rightly feel they have not been given a chance to establish the viability of their site.”