Remploy demo Liberal Democrat party conference - Sunday

16 September 2011

REMPLOY PROTEST AT LIBERAL PARTY CONFERENCE THIS SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 18th TO SAVE 54 REMPLOY FACTORIES FACING CLOSURE IN APRIL 2013

GMB members employed at Remploy across Britain WILL stage a petition protest at the Liberal Party Conference in Birmingham this weekend to seek support Liberal Democrat MPs, Councilors and party members to save 54 Remploy factories from closure.

All 54 UK Remploy factories are under threat of closure if the coalition Government goes ahead with plans to end public funding for these workshops in April 2013. If these proposals go ahead 4,000 disabled workers will loose their jobs.

A static demo will take place outside the Birmingham ICC between 10.45 and 11.45 am then the Remploy demonstrators will join the main TUC march and rally which leave Grenville Street at 11 am and to Lionel Street.

The protest and march will take place as follows:

SUNDAY 18TH SEPTEMBER

LIBERAL PARTY CONFERENCE

ICC BIRMINGHAM
http://www.theicc.co.uk/liberal-democrats

STATIC DEMO TO LEAFLET LIBERAL PARTY DELEGATES GOING INTO CONFERENCE WILL OUTSIDETHE ICC BIRMINGHAM BETWEEN 10.45 AND 11.45

FULLTUCMARCH LEAVES 11 AM FROM

GRENVILLE STREET B1 1JW

The alphabetical list of Remploy factories across the UK that are facing closure is as follows: 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.

Dominic Hinks, GMB Organiser said“This protest is for disabled Remploy workers across the UK to try to save their jobs. Remploy workers want to tell Liberal Democrats that the coalition government's proposal to stop funding and thereby closing of 54 Remploy UK factories is the aim of conflicted axe grinders who want the funding for themselves. 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.

The Unions will tell the delegates that it would cost the Treasury less to keep the factories operating fully loaded with work rather than putting the workers out of work and on to 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 of work up from 50% now to 100% and to keep these 54 factories open.

These factories have a successful track record going back to 1946 till the public authorities stopped loading them with work in 1990s due to then EU directive. The EU rules have been changed and the factories can be successful again when they are fully loaded. Making uniforms for the armed forces, emergency services and medical staff, and supplying schools would more than keep them busy.

Remploy workers want help to get their factories fully loaded. GMB will shortly publish the list of all public bodies that are not now supporting Remploy with work. Liberal Democrats and members of the public can help if they are involved with any of these bodies or can lobby MPs, councilors and others to get them to place work with Remploy.”

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