Remploy plans to close 43 factories which employ disabled workers, unions have been told.
Remploy plans to close 43 factories across the UK which offer work to disabled people.
The Remploy company says it wants to cut costs and place more disabled people into mainstream employment rather than in sheltered workshops.
Unions have called for the sites to stay open and criticised six disability charities who have backed the closures.
Unions were told 32 of the firm's 83 factories will close and a further 11 will merge with other sites.
Unions were told 32 of the firm's 83 factories will close and a further 11 will merge with other sites.
Remploy says it wants to cut costs and place more disabled people into mainstream employment rather than in sheltered workshops.
Unions have called for the sites to stay open and criticised six disability charities who have backed the closures.
The scale of the closures was worse than unions were expecting and sparked warnings of a national strike.
The scale of the closures was worse than unions were expecting and sparked warnings of a national strike.
Remploy employs 5,000 disabled staff at its factories across the UK, which manufacture a variety of goods for firms.
Remploy employs 5,000 disabled staff at its factories across the UK, which manufacture a variety of goods for firms.
Its management have been meeting union leaders in London.
Its management have been meeting union leaders in London.
Mencap, Mind, Radar, Scope, Leonard Cheshire and the Royal National Institute of Deaf People said disabled people were more likely to have fulfilling lives by working in an "inclusive environment".
Mencap, Mind, Radar, Scope, Leonard Cheshire and the Royal National Institute of Deaf People said disabled people were more likely to have fulfilling lives by working in an "inclusive environment".
Union anger
Union anger
The GMB is launching a campaign to fight the closures.
The GMB is launching a campaign to fight the closures.
Spokesman Phil Davies said: "Remploy disabled workers have now been stabbed in the back by the leaders of the disability organisations who called for them to be sacked without ever having spoken to them or their representatives.
Spokesman Phil Davies said: "Remploy disabled workers have now been stabbed in the back by the leaders of the disability organisations who called for them to be sacked without ever having spoken to them or their representatives.
"We have the grotesque scene of the leaders of six disability organisations scuttling around media studios calling for the handing out of redundancy notices to disabled workers.
"We have the grotesque scene of the leaders of six disability organisations scuttling around media studios calling for the handing out of redundancy notices to disabled workers.
"A clash now seems inevitable and we are warning that the outcome will be a national strike across all 83 Remploy factories."
"A clash now seems inevitable and we are warning that the outcome will be a national strike across all 83 Remploy factories."
Set up in 1945, Remploy receives £111m in government subsidy every year. It says it has to close factories to avoid going over budget.
Set up in 1945, Remploy receives £111m in government subsidy every year. It says it has to close factories to avoid going over budget.
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