We'll fight to stop factory's closure

And their union, the GMB, is asking company bosses to withdraw proposals for a merger with Leeds.

The storm blew up yesterday after Margaret Hodge, Minister with special responsibility for disabled people, announced that Remploy wanted to merge nine factories, including Bradford.

Unions say it would mean the closure of the Barnard Road publishing unit, which employs 50 people, some of them with serious disabilities.

But the workers - who come from as far away as Keighley -- said the journey could mean a five-hour trek to and from Leeds and they would have difficulty travelling because of their disabilities. The proposed factory merger would affect the jobs of 1,000 people across the country.

However, Mrs Hodge said there would be no compulsory redundancies and the Government was giving more funding which would result in many extra mainstream jobs for disabled people.

Peter Williams, who is disabled and on crutches because of a serious illness which affects his balance, said: "I don't want to leave Bradford. I can't travel to Leeds and I want to keep my job here. I am shocked about all of this."

Mr Williams, 41, of Idle Road, Bradford, gets to work by taxi but says even that is difficult sometimes.

Terry Patten, Bradford official of the GMB, said: "We want the company to get rid of the proposal."

The company's personnel director, Ray Fletcher, said reports in some national papers that the Bradford factory could close immediately were wrong and workers had been unnecessarily frightened.

He said they were negotiating with unions about the proposed merger with Leeds. "But it will take as long as it takes. It could even be as long as a year at Bradford if the merger went ahead. We want to have constructive conversation with everyone concerned."

He said the company was meeting unions next month.

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