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REMPLOY CAMPAIGN NATIONAL LAUNCH

Posted on Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Remploy Disabled Workers’ National Mobile Demonstration To Labour Party Conference In Bournemouth Launched Today In Aberdeen

Demonstration will rally at all 43 factories scheduled for closure and will mobilise support for Remploy workers at 70 events in every part of Britain over next month
28 Aug 2007

The Remploy Consortium of trades unions’ national mobile demonstration against the threatened closure of 43 disabled workers factories was launched  today from outside the Aberdeen Remploy factory, which is scheduled for closure. Speakers at the rally were  Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, Frank Doran MP (LAB), Cllr Jim Kiddie (SNP) Jennie Formby National Officer (T&G Unite), Aberdeen Trades Council, Phil Davies, (GMB & National Secretary Remploy Consortium) and Les Woodward (GMB)

The demonstration will travel through Britain visiting each of the 43 factories and collecting political and public support to find work for the factories. It will demonstrate that Remploy’s share of public procurement orders stands at a minuscule 0.024% per annum i.e. just £32 million out of a total spend of £136 billion paid for by the tax payer each year and will callfor the move of contracts worth a mere 5 p in every £100 of current public procurement spending to keep all 83 Remploy factories open. The public are invited to attend rallies and meetings and write to the government to support these demands.

Paul Kenny GMB General Secretary told the Rally in Aberdeen "The EU rules allow public sector orders to be placed with Remploy without going out to tender. We want to see an end to the nonsense that orders for uniforms for British forces and for medical staff going to China while Remploy factories are being closed for lack of work. This month long mobile demonstration aims to generate a groundswell where the politicians who can sort this out are given the backbone to do so. The trades unions will not allow the destruction of jobs for disabled workers without a fight"

The next stops in the Scottish leg will be rallies and demonstrations as follows:

TUESDAY 28TH AUGUST 2007

13.30  DUNDEE: Rally outside Remploy Dundee factory at Dunsinanne Avenue, Dunsinanne Industrial Estate, Dundee, DD2 3QF. Speakers include : Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, Jim McGovern MP (LAB), Jennie Formby National Officer (T&G Unite), Phil Brannan (GMB), Phil Davies, (GMB & National Secretary Remploy Consortium) and Les Woodward (GMB).

16.30  COWDENBEATH: Rally outside Remploy Cowdenbeath factory at Cuddyhouse Road, Cowdenbeath, Fife, KY4 9PT. Speakers include: Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, Marilyn Glen MSP (LAB), Jennie Formby National Officer (T&G Unite), Phil Brannan (GMB), Phil Davies, (GMB & National Secretary Remploy Consortium) and Les Woodward (GMB).

19.30    EDINBURGH: Public meeting/rally at Best Western Edinburgh Capital Hotel, 187 Clermiston Road, Edinburgh, EH12 6UG.Speakers include: John Barrett MP (LIB DEM), Phil Davies, (GMB & National Secretary Remploy Consortium), Jennie Formby National Officer (T&G Unite), Les Woodward (GMB), Dave Moxham, Assistant Secretary STUC, Cllr Norma Hart (LAB) Edinburgh City Council.Mark Lazarowicz MP(LAB)

WEDNESDAY 29TH AUGUST 2007

8.30         EDINBURGH: Rally outside Remploy Edinburgh factory unit 13/16 South Gyle Crescent, South Gyle Industrial Estate, Edinburgh EH12 9EB. Speakers include John Barrett MP (LIB DEM), Phil Davies, (GMB & National Secretary Remploy Consortium), Jennie Formby National Officer (T&G Unite), Phil Brannan (GMB) and Les Woodward (GMB).

13.00   LANARKSHIRE: Rally outside Remploy Lanarkshire factory- scheduled for closure-

ExcelsiorPark, Wishaw, Lanarkshire ML2 0JG. Speakers include Frank Roy MP (LAB),    David Martin MEP (LAB)

19.30    GLASGOW: Public Meeting/rally at Glasgow Marriott Hotel, 500 Argyle Street, Glasgow, Lanarshire, G3 8RR.Speakers include: Bob Doris MSP (SNP), Grahame Smith (General Secretary STUC), Phil Davies, (GMB & National Secretary Remploy Consortium), Les Woodward (GMB), Jim Sheridan MP (LAB), Robert Brown MSP (LIB DEM).

THURSDAY 30TH AUGUST 2007

8.30    GLASGOW: Rally outside Remploy Glasgow Hillington factory 24 Watt Road, Hillington, Glasgow, G52 4RYwhich is threatened with closure. Speakers include Jim Sheridan MP (LAB), Bob Doris MSP (SNP), Phil Davies, (GMB & National Secretary Remploy Consortium), Phil Brannan (GMB) and Les Woodward (GMB).


Contact: For National comment speak to Phil Davies, GMB National Secretary on 07850 966465 or Jenny Formby, Unite National Secretary on 07702 206436 or Les Woodward, Remploy trade union Convenor on 07977 436251. GMB Press Office: Rose Conroy on 07974 251823or Steve Pryle on 07921 289880 or T&GWU Press Office: 020 7611 2549. For local comment see the list of factories and contacts below.

Notes to Editors:


   1. Factories in the list below marked in bold and with an * are on the closure list.

   2. The following factories have been targeted to merge: Barnsley, Birkenhead CCU, Brynamman, Jarrow, Newcastleunder Lyne, Pontefract, Redruth, Southamptonrecycling, Stockport, Woolwich and Ystradgynlais.

   3. The trades unions in Remploy are GMB, Unite (TGWU & Unite (GPMU Section) have merged) and Community.

   4. The GMB Remploy Members own Website can be found at www.gmbremployworkers.info

   5. The Official GMB Remploy campaign webpage is at www.gmb.org.uk

from http://www.gmb.org.uk