Remploy And Blood Service Workers Fight On

The dispute over the closure programme at the Remploy factories (originally set up to provide employment for disabled ex-servicepeople and since providing employment for many disabled people from a range of backgrounds) continues. The disgraced ex-Minister Peter Hain stitched up a so-called compromise deal that was cover for the management to carry on with a slightly adjusted closure programme. Workers from Remploy factories in Aintree and Birkenhead went on strike on Wednesday and Thursday of this week. The workers at these factories will strike again on 13th and 14th February and will be joined by workers from the Remploy factory in York. Official strike ballots are in the pipeline at Hartlepool, St Helens, Treforest, Ystradgynlais near Swansea and Brynammon in South Wales.

The workers are not just striking for themselves, but future workers who may need their jobs - something which bemuses management who witter on about the "generous" terms and redeployments (sometimes to less skilled and less rewarding work) on offer.

More from Unite/Amicus and the GMB Union.

In the Blood Service dispute the picture is becoming clearer after the release of the report on the NBS "restructuring". The radical industrial unionists of the IWW are campaigning hard on this issue alongside the TUC affiliated unions and have an update on their UK website here.

You can also keep up to date at the Save Our Blood Service blog.

The campaigning so far seems to have led to at least some success -

The outcry from hospitals, staff and the public at the dangerous and stupid proposals has meant that in the north and south-east, the board have been forced to scrap the idea of supercentres. One excellent victory that we can claim is that the Newcastle centre is now to remain fully open, and Sheffield also keeps many more functions.But the axe still hangs over essential labs at centres across the country.

So, in short, the struggle continues.

These two groups of workers are fighting vital battles in the contested areas of healthcare, disability and dignity and should have maximum solidarity and support.