Factory battle goes on

11:59am Thursday 22nd May 2008

Comments (10)   Have your say »

FORMER workers from a York factory which employed disabled people have taken their fight to Westminster.

Members of York Remploy's 51-strong workforce travelled to London yesterday to lobby ministers over the closure of the Redeness Street site.

Former deputy shop steward, John Wilson, 58, of Tang Hall, said it was important workers continued to let the Government know that they believe the closure was wrong.

Mr Wilson said: "We fought long and hard against the closure and I think it's important to show the Government that we will continue to fight for something we believe in."

In March, The Press reported how hopes the city's Remploy plant might be granted a last-ditch reprieve by Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to nothing. Following a final ceremony at the Redeness Street site, the workers - many of whom chose to take voluntary redundancy rather than try to secure other jobs through Remploy's employment service - said an emotional farewell to the factory which was been a huge part of their lives.

They now face an uncertain future as they look for mainstream employment, with unions saying they will be left exposed and forced into low-paid work by the Government's decision to close the York site and 27 other factories.

Mr Wilson, who opted to accept a redundancy pay-off, said: "We all feel empty, drained and let down."

Worker Sandra Reynolds, 41, had spent the last decade at Remploy and said: "We feel we've lost everything and the Government has done nothing to help us. I've taken voluntary redundancy because I don't have any faith in Remploy finding me a job, but whatever I do now, it won't be the same."

Have your say

Are the Remploy workers right to keep on fighting?