LOCAL workers have petitioned Prime Minister Tony Blair as they anxiously await an announcement about their future.

They fear a possible shake-up at their factory under major changes to the nationwide Remploy organisation.

Union bosses are demanding that the Government scrap a controversial new corporate plan. They say it will "run down" the company, which provides valuable employment for local disabled people.

There are about 90 Remploy factories nationwide. The one in Eton Hill Road, Radcliffe, was established in 1948 and has a workforce of about 125. The businesses run there are Tor Filters and Starman Toiletries.

Workers will find out in the next few weeks whether their factory will be merged or will change its trade.

Although assurances have been given that there will be no compulsory redundancies for disabled employees, workers are concerned about the future implications of the plan.

Remploy has to produce an annual corporate plan to show the Government how it will use the £94.2 million it receives from Westminster.

The board of directors say change is inevitable: any organisation which fails to change, eventually fails completely.

Some factories may be merged, high-loss businesses may be withdrawn, and contract packaging and assembly work may be expanded. There is talk of "rationalising" the number of Remploy centres. It is expected that the number of disabled workers will drop from this year's 6,267 to 5,653 in three years' time. The number of non-disabled employees could fall from 1,245 to 1,007.

The board say all existing disabled employees in Remploy factories will continue in a factory if they want to. None will be forced out because of changes to the factory network.

Local shop steward Mr Tony Riley, 41, said: "I have made sure everyone knows about the possible implications. The reaction of workers at Radcliffe is one of disgust and worry."

He added: "The Government are supposedly trying to get more disabled people into the workplace yet they are supporting this plan."

Mr Riley has organised a petition calling on Tony Blair to stop the programme of "running down, merging and closing" Remploy factories.

He says the local community feel just as strongly as employees and many people have signed the petition.

Last week, unions representing 6,500 severely disabled Remploy workers unanimously rejected the corporate plan.

They called on the Government to scrap it because of what they see as deskilling, degrading, and dispersal of employees.

Unions have called for the Minister for the Disabled, Margaret Hodge, to give an assurance that trade unions will be fully consulted before a plan is agreed.

They have asked the Government to honour pre-election policies of restoring frozen funding to Remploy and giving more contracts to it rather than to foreign manufacturers.

To help Remploy survive, workers have been told to improve productivity, customer service, and the company image.

The Government have pledged an additional £1.5 million to help with reorganisation costs during the first two years of the new plan.

But there is no guarantee this will be available in the years following.

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