The future of two Welsh factories which employ disabled people has been assured - and talks are continuing over forthcoming plans for a third.

Unions representing thousands of workers across the UK have been meeting with chiefs at Remploy looking at proposals to save up to 1,000 jobs.

Remploy is given �94m a year by the government to employ more than 10,000 disabled workers.

Last year it announced that it was going to merge nine factories, including those in Brynaman, Neath and Ystradgynlais, which would have caused more than 1,000 UK redundancies.

But following talks the company has agreed to scrap plans for a merger at the Brynaman and Neath factories.

The future of the factory at Ystradgynlais is still being discussed - but the GMB union said it wanted the site to stay open for the next three years and would fight any closure plans.

No redundancies

Unions campaigned for a year for guarantees from Remploy that the factories would stay open.

Earlier this month Remploy announced that there would be no redundancies.

The GMB has helped Remploy develop a "new strategy" including investement in the factories rather than mergers.

Factories earmarked for closure will now be modernised.

Grant frozen

"Remploy was forced to restructure because the Government grant has been frozen resulting in the grant being worth �15m less than it was," said Louis High from GMB.

"The GMB has campaigned for a year to keep these factories open and obviously we welcome these plans."

Remploy personnel director Ray Fletcher said the company acknowledged the work of the trade union consortium in developing the new proposals.