Remploy staff in pay action threat

REMPLOY staff in Oldham could be heading for strike action after a below inflation wage rise offer.

Union negotiators have recommended that members at the 54 factories across the country turn down the wage increase of £250 a year — the equivalent to £4.80 a week.

The results of an internal ballot as to whether or not the rise will be accepted will be known by Monday, October 17.

If rejected, a second ballot for formal industrial action will take place, meaning staff at the Ashton Road factory could stage a walk out on November 30.

The GMB union has hit out at the organisation, after it claimed that an award of £1.9million was put aside to pay to Remploy managers bonuses averaging over £5,000.

Phil Davies, GMB national secretary responsible for Remploy members, said: “It is unbelievable that at a time when the Government is planning to close Remploy down and to put disabled workers on to benefits for the rest of their lives that it rewards the able-bodied bosses for their failure to provide sufficient work for the factory that is leading to the closure threat.

“This is another insult to the disabled workers at Remploy who go to work every day despite considerable disabilities and who produce the wealth of the company.”

A big question mark still looms over the future of Remploy, with a radical funding restructure expected to be announced before the end of the year.

Consultation on the decision is currently open until Monday, October 17, but should funding be withdrawn the factories that employ around 2,500 members of staff could be closed down.

Union representatives are now calling on managers to give back the bonus cash for reinvestment into getting disabled workers into employment.