It's a busy week for Hain. Yesterday at the Assembly he was muddying the waters yet again on the excellent LCO's, and today there is due to be a statement on the future of Remploy in Wales. Since the decision was referred to Hain, we are expected to hear that the number of factories closing will fall to 28 from the 43 that was expected to close earlier in the year. Ystradgynlais and Brynaman staff, however, will still have to move to the Baglan site, and the Trefforest site will close.
While this is a victory of some sort for the Union's, I do believe that referring the decision to Hain was a tactical decision taken by the Government to make annoucements on factories which they had already earmarked to keep open. The announcement not to close the Bridgend factory was no surprise, and especially not so to Union Officials.
Nevertheless, while the factories have been getting all the headlines, the fate of the Swansea Shared Service Centre in Fforestfach has already been sealed. The Centre is set to close, and new jobs created in Leeds. This despite the ongoing consultation process, and the Government's promise to re- look at all areas within the Remploy proposal. I have been working closely with workers at the Centre who are now furious that a decision has been taken on their Centre during this process, while all the Remploy factories, and the reasons for closure were revisited and re investigated.
The way that this consultation was carried out is an example of how not to do it in the future. Remploy management were effectively Government- led, therefore we need clarity in the future about who makes what decision and when. I fear that Bob Warner was used as somewhat of a scape goat in all of this - he was branded as being responsible for the attrocious cuts in Remploy, regardless of the fact that we all know that Remploy is a Government funded enterprise.
This does not restore the workers faith in the consultation process, especially when the future of their careers are in the balance. I will await the announcement today, and also await with interest the response, and the future actions of the Union's involved.
1 comment:
Interesting post Bethan. I think those at a senior management level in Remploy must take responsibility for these plans, but ultimately it is a labour government decision. It is shocking hypocrisy to hear Labour AM's running around with crocodile tears when it is their party that are forcing through these proposals. You have to ask why they were so willing to bail out city bankers at Northern Rock but are happy to see the lives of disabled workers in Remploy torn apart.
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