DISABLED workers will stage a second 24-hour strike today in protest at Government plans to close their factories.

Staff at Remploy sites across Britain will walk out for a second time after a "successful" stoppage last week.

The workers have received thousands of messages of support since launching a campaign against the closures, according to unions.

Unite and the GMB are organising the protests against the planned closure of 27 Remploy factories by the end of the year, with a further 18 due to close or be sold off in 2013, and another nine facing an uncertain future.

The Remploy site in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, is one of the factories earmarked for closure by the end of the year.

Other sites in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Springburn were given a reprieve as the UK Government said it would try to sell them.

Unite's national officer, Sally Kosky, said: "Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith may enjoy being the self-confessed quiet man of British politics – but he should be turning up the volume in support of these vulnerable workers, many with disabilities.

"Last week's strike was massively supported by the workforce, members of the public, trade unions and disability organisations, and we expect a similar strong turn-out tomorrow."

Phil Davies, national officer of the GMB, said: "When the first wave of factory closures happen by the end of the year, we will see about 1700 disabled workers thrown onto the dole queue, at a time when those out of work for more than two years is at its worst rate since 1997."

Remploy said almost 40% of its 54 factories worked normally during last week's strike. A spokesman said: "Significant numbers of employees turned up to work as normal and the company thanks them for their commitment.

"We deplore attempts to intimidate employees who want to work.

"Employees who turned up for work will be paid as usual and the company will not pay workers who take strike action. The latest one-day strike will do nothing to secure the future jobs of Remploy staff."