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Remploy employees banned from speaking to media |
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Wednesday, 06 June 2007 |
Disabled workers at the Remploy factory in Lanarkshire have been gagged from speaking to the press about their reactions to the announcement of 43 proposed factory closures, of which the Lanarkshire factory is one.
Employees were told of the gagging order in a DVD message, rather than
in face to face discussions with management. Meanwhile local press
seeking access to the factory to gain reactions from workers were
refused permission to come on site by Remploy manager Stewart McGregor.
Staff were later warned that if they went out to speak to the media
gathered outside of the factory they would not be allowed back to work
for the rest of the day and would be sent home without pay. Shiona
Williams, head of corporate communications, later added that if they
left the site to meet the press they would also face disciplinary
action.
Commenting on the gagging of disabled Remploy employees, Labour MEP
David Martin said that the workers deserved to have their side of the
story heard as well.
"Remploy workers are devastated by the news of the proposed closures
and have the right for their side of the story to be heard as well. As
a GMB trade union member, I know that my fellow members in Remploy have
the full support of their union and a pledge to stop the closures,
which was expressed by Congress today.
"GMB members in Remploy will not be bullied into silence, and we would
have to ask what Remploy are hiding that they feel the need to gag
their workers and the press.
"GMB will support any member who is disciplined for clocking out in
order to speak to the press. However, I urge Remploy management to
reverse their position, and allow the press access to the workforce so
that a fair balance can be brought to the debate on the future of
Remploy, and that the impact these proposed closures would have on
disabled workers in Remploy, can be heard from those impacted by this
change and who are some of the country’s most vulnerable people."
No one has commented on this article.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 June 2007 )
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