Disabled workers vote to strike

Disabled workers have voted to go on strike in protest at plans to close their factories.

Members of the GMB and Unite unions in 54 factories across the UK backed a campaign of industrial action.

The unions said they will give Remploy seven days' notice with immediate effect for a programme of strikes and other action.

The unions have warned that the Government's plans will lead to the complete closure of all 54 factories, leading to 2,800 disabled workers' jobs being lost.

Phil Davies, national officer of the GMB, said: "The Government's intention to destroy thousands of disabled workers' jobs in Remploy has given rise to an overwhelming vote for strike action against the proposed closures of their 54 factories.

"These closures are going ahead without any consideration of the feelings and needs of these workers and their families or their future job prospects. To close a factory that employs disabled people in the present economic climate is a sentence to a life of unemployment and poverty."

Kevin Hepworth, of Unite, said: "We now have the prospect of Remploy workers taking strike action to defend their jobs. By taking strike action they are trying to avoid their certain destiny of being chucked on the economic scrapheap. They deserve the support of all trade unionists and the public in Britain."

The majority for strike action was 79.5% among members of the GMB and 59.7% in Unite.