The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, is to seek a meeting with Trade Union officials from the GMB to discuss the proposed closure of the Bridgend Remploy Plant and the merger of the Brynamman factory with that in Neath.
Remploy has announced today that 5 of its 12 Welsh factories have been earmarked for closure, including the factory in Bridgend. Brynamman has been earmarked for merger. The factories provide support and employment for disabled people looking for work. Under the terms of the closures disabled employees will be able to transfer to another nearby plant or choose to be made redundant.
"I am disappointed to hear the news from Remploy that they will be closing factories," said Mr. Black. "Their website claims that they have plans to quadruple the number of people they employ, however I am unsure how they can substantiate this claim when they simultaneously announce almost half their factories in Wales will be closing."
"I am particularly disappointed that they will be closing the Bridgend plant. I visited the site to see the hard work being done by it's employees only a few months ago and was informed that they expected the site to break even this year after securing an important contract with Valleys to Coast Housing Association. Clearly no business can incur large financial loses without having to make changes, but I am not convinced that this is the right solution to their problems and will be seeking a meeting with GMB to offer my support in trying to protect the jobs of their members."
