WORKERS at a York factory which employs disabled people are to be balloted on industrial action in a last-ditch attempt to prevent it closing.

The axe is set to fall on the Remploy site in Redeness Street in about two months, taking 51 jobs with it, after the Government claimed keeping it and 27 other sites did not represent value for money.

But employees determined not to see it go without a fight will next week receive ballot papers asking them to vote on whether to take industrial action.

This could see them holding demonstrations at the site, with the ballot result expected in the first week of February.

Remploy says it will try to find other posts for workers who want to stay, but the GMB union says that, even if that happens, they will not be as skilled or well-paid as the jobs they currently have.

The union still believes the factory can be saved, claiming not enough was done to secure public procurement of contracts which, they say, could have staved off the closures.

Remploy worker John Wilson, GMB's assistant shop steward at the York factory, said: "The ballot will ask workers whether they are prepared to take part in action up to and including strikes.

"Demonstrations would probably be the first step and we are also considering other options, although we cannot say too much about them until we know the result of the ballot.

"We are doing this because we think what has happened to Remploy is a disgrace, not just for those working there now, but for disabled people in the future. It should have been given three or four more years to see if procurement worked, which we believe it would.

"As far as we're concerned, new jobs for these people are not there and, even if they are, they will be at the lowest end of the service sector. We have called off industrial action once before as a peace gesture and been kicked in the teeth as a result. Now we are determined to do whatever we can to keep it open.

"Where there's life, there's hope."

Remploy said it had not received official confirmation of the GMB ballot, a claim denied by the union.

"The York factory is still due to close. We have no definite timetable for this, but the majority of closing sites will do this before the end of March," said a spokeswoman.

"We are engaging in individual consultation with all our employees to ensure they have the support they need. Disabled employees have the option of remaining on their current Remploy terms and conditions, working for another local employer, for as long as they wish. Alternatively, they may opt for generous voluntary redundancy terms.

"The company and Government have committed that there will be no compulsory redundancy of disabled Remploy employees and every disabled employee will have the support they need for as long as they need it."