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Responding to the announcement yesterday (Thursday) by the Minister for Disabled People Esther McVey MP, that nearly 900 employees face compulsory redundancy as a result of further closures to Remploy factories around the UK, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'Many of the disabled workers who will lose their job as a result of these factory closures have little or no chance of finding alternative employment. Of the first 1,000 employees to be made redundant during recent factory closures, just 35 have subsequently found work.

'This is a heartless decision by a government that has shown very little interest in protecting the livelihoods of severely disabled people who need support both in and out of work.

'The TUC will continue to support the work of Remploy unions in opposing any more closure and redundancies.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Alex Rossiter T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07887 572130 E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk