Jobs under threat as Remploy looks for a buyer

[Kevin123 10]

It looks like Sheffield's Remploy factory will close, with the loss of 94 jobs.

 

http://postcodegazette.com/news/9002781060/jobs-under-threat-as-remploy-looks-for-a-buyer-AT-sheffield-brightside-lane/

 

Grim news for the staff just before Christmas...

[Bludragonfly 10]

I thought Sheffield had been 'saved' in the review last year but come to think of it I think the decision was postponed pending a review of the business case. Sadly it looks as if that review wasn't favourable.

 

I can't remember the actual figures from the report last year but I think it was something like they could close the factories, pay the people and still lose less money than they are losing now

 

It's sad that people will lose their jobs, at least as civil servants they will get a decent redundancy payment and maybe pension if right age. I know money isn't everything and the people will enjoy their job and have friends there but the money will help in the short term. At least there is a Remploy shop in the city centre that helps people find paid work and is fairly successful at it too as they have helped a couple of people I know to get a job

[mellymummy 10]

This is terrible news, Remploy do a great job

[Tradescanthia 10]

Another example of our most vulnerable getting kicked in the teeth They not only lose their jobs but their self respect, their support and their friends. A number of them will ultimately become reliant on Social Services. Would it not have made more sense to offer a bit of financial support to Remploy..............in human costs this descision is colossal.

[Bludragonfly 10]

Would it not have made more sense to offer a bit of financial support to Remploy..............in human costs this descision is colossal.

 

 

A Government review last year shows that Remploy factories have had a lot of support over the years. The quote below is taken from http://www.remploy.co.uk/_assets/downloads/pdfs/written-ministerial-statement.pdf I think the first sentence makes an interesting point

 

They also supported the view the Government-funded segregated employment is not consistent with an objective of disability equality.

 

This is about equality and fairness for disabled people. Roughly 2,200 disabled people are supported by Remploy’s Enterprise Businesses, at a cost each year of around a fifth of the total budget for specialist disability employment programmes. Despite significant investment in Remploy Enterprise Businesses the cost of each employment place remains at £25,000 per year, compared with an average Access to Work award of £2,900. The Sayce review did acknowledge the valuable work undertaken by Remploy's Employment Services in supporting tens of thousands of disabled people iinto work. Given the significant additional number of unemployed disabled people who could be supported to access the mainstream labour market, up to 8,000 people in this Spending Review, I have decided that it is important to accept and implement the Sayce review recommendations on Remploy.

 

 

 

 

PS Access to Work is a DWP programme to support people to get / stay in work. It offers free, specialist, assessments to identify what specialist equipment, software of adaptations are needed by a person who have a disability. Once these are identified Access to Work will fund either 100% or a significant percentage towards the cost of these - if it is in the first six weeks of the employee starting work there is no cost at all to the employer

[Steve_Grump 10]

SO the factory operates at a loss, and this was paid for by the taxpayer.

 

SO now, people will lose their jobs and so will now need to be supported by the taxpayer.

 

To me it would have made more sense for the taxpayer to have kept this place open so these people could have a purpose to their lifes

[sheff1johnny 10]

If your disabled, and you wanted to work, there once was a place, that didn't judge. 89 people (ALL DISABLED) thrown onto the scrapheap. Maybe they could invest the £10 million starbucks has decided to pay. This government doesn't care about anyone. They say they want disabled people in work, then close a place down that employs them. I'm ashamed of this government and the way they treat disabled people. I'm ashamed of the people who think these things are a good idea.

[Vague_Boy 10]

SO the factory operates at a loss, and this was paid for by the taxpayer.

 

SO now, people will lose their jobs and so will now need to be supported by the taxpayer.

 

You really need to start reading these links.

 

Last year Remploy made a loss of £68.3 million.

 

That's just in one year.

 

I doubt it any benefits these people might claim over the next year will add up to even a tiny fraction of that amount.

 

The tax payer meanwhile has problems of their own:

 

At the end of 2009-10 the real national debt stood at £7.9 trillion, over £300,000 for every single household in Britain

 

During the last decade debt has more than tripled, soaring from 230 per cent of GDP (£2.3 trillion) up to 560 per cent of GDP (£7.9 trillion)

LINK

[ghost rider 10]

Unfortunately as sad as the loss of jobs is,the country cannot afford to prop up a business losing 68.3 million pounds a year.I worked for a company that went into administration for a fraction of that amount,fortunately it was taken over by another company and i didnt get made redundant.If its possible to run the company without making a loss somebody might still buy it.