Call for Remploy to be discussed at Council Meeting

On Friday I wrote to officials of the council seeking to place an item on the agenda of the council meetings on Monday night about the disgraceful decision to close the Remploy factory in Dundee.

The announcement of the closure of the Remploy Factory in Dundee is a blow to the workforce, and is all the more cruel in the run up to Christmas.  It is disgraceful that the announcement was sneaked out at Westminster just days after the minister, Esther McVey, told my colleague Jim McGovern and other MPs that she would be ready to visit the factory in Dundee - which she must have known was already marked for closure.  My colleague Jenny Marra MSP has also called for action on this issue. My trade union, the GMB, which represents many of the members at the Remploy factory in Dundee has described the closure announcement as 'despicable.'

I am seeking permission to place an item on the agenda of the City Council or the Policy and Resources Committee on Monday evening which would condemn the decision by the UK Government, call on the UK Government to think again about closure or bring forward proposals to find alternatives to closure.  The UK Government should also bring forward proposals to find employment for those who are being made redundant at Remploy.  The Scottish Government should look at the sort of support which it can give to Remploy, for example, are there orders which the Scottish Government is about to let which could be procured through Remploy, new police and fire uniforms or protective clothing for example.  The City Council should also bring together a plan to help the factory and support the workforce there.  I hope that my request will be agreed to as it is important that the City Council speaks with one voice on this important issue and that we stand up for vulnerable workers in the city.