UNION bosses representing  workers at Pluss have hit back  at claims it could not reach a  deal over a reduction in hours  for staff.

The company, which employs  people with learning and physical disabilities, announced this  week it may have to restructure  the business with a loss of 15  jobs at its Marsh Green Road  premises in Exeter.

Although the organisation  employs 131 people in the city,  the job losses are likely to affect  the 30-strong manufacturing  workforce, most of whom have a  disability.

Pluss said it had been unsuccessful in negotiations over  agreeing reduced-hour contracts for workers with the unions and, as such, had to seek  other ways of safeguarding the  business.

 Despite the losses, it said  spaces would be made to train  people with disabilities on  short-term contracts to NVQ  standards.

But the union Community  has rejected claims there had  been “extensive negotiation”  over working hours. It said running short-term contracts for  learning  was counter-productive as there was so little unsupported work available for  disabled people.

 Michael Auguste, campaign  manager for Community, said:  “The changes were imposed  without an agreement. There  was no extensive negotiation  and the company would not  listen to us.”

Reacting to the potential redundancies he said: “The company has a duty of care and  responsibility for its members  who have worked for Pluss for  up to 35 years.”

Mr Auguste said Pluss was  originally set up to train people  with disabilities to go out into  the work force, but when it realised the skills of the people it  was training, it decided to keep  many of them on deeming them  “too valuable” to let go.

But now Mr Auguste said it  was throwing them on the  “scrap heap”.

 A Pluss spokeswoman said:  “We came to no formal agreement in Exeter regarding a reduction in hours. Because of  this, Pluss needed to take action  to protect itself and the future of  the employment of the majority  of its staff.

“Pluss continues to be successful at supporting hundreds  of individuals in external employment every year.

“While this is obviously more  difficult in a recession, Pluss  considers that, wherever possible, opportunities should be in  mainstream employment.”