DISABLED people who work at two East Lancashire factories are considering strike action after being asked to take voluntary redundancy.

Nationally Remploy wants to shed around half its 3,000 workers under a voluntary redundancy scheme.

The company has 54 sites across the country and the Blackburn factory, in Bank Top, employs 49 people, while the Burnley site, at Smallshaw Industrial Estate, has 40 workers.

The disabled workers at Blackburn make furniture and the Burnley plant manufactures corrugated boxes for outside businesses and public services.

In 2009 the firm celebrated 60 years since it was set up following the Second World War to help disabled servicemen gain employment.

But it is said that successive Governments have attempted to slim down the company in a bid to save money as politicians moved towards integrating disabled workers into mainstream employment.

A Department of work and Pensions spokesman said: “Remploy has had £555 million in Government funding but unfortunately the factory arm of their business has not been able to successfully compete.

“Remploy also provides an employment service which has been very successful and has helped 24,000 people into mainstream jobs with companies like Asda and Royal Mail.”

But unions are in uproar over the proposals and say that out of 2,000 Remploy workers made redundant in 2008, when nine sites closed, 90 per cent are still out of work.

GMB national secretary Phil Davies said: “There is little point in adding more disabled workers to the dole queues since we know that they are not going to get other jobs.

"A good start will be to get rid of the existing Remploy management which would save up to £13 million per year.”

A Remploy spokesperson, said the firm was disappointed about the strike action proposals.

He said: “We have only just opened consultations with the union on an entirely voluntary redundancy programme.”

A ballot for strike will be discussed at a meeting on February 15.