As part of the National Day of Action against Atos, a vigil will be held outside the Oxford offices.

Date: 30 September 2011
Time: 1.15-2.15 pm.

Place: Outside 59 St Aldates OX1 1ST.
(past the Magistrates Court, on the corner with Thames Street.Opposite Thames Valley Police Station)


All Welcome. Please bring placards, banners etc.

Background

(With thanks to National Protest Against Benefits Cuts)

Atos Origin have £300 million contract with the Con-dem Government to continue carrying out ‘work capability assessments’.

It is claimed assessments are to test what people can do rather than what they can’t. The real purpose is to strip benefits from as many people as possible.

This testing system has already led to people with terminal illnesses and severe medical conditions being declared fit for work and having benefits cut. GP’s are ignored in favour of decisions made by Atos Origin’s computer.

Plans announced for the scrapping of Disability Living Allowance have also revealed that this intrusive testing is likely to be extended to everyone on some form of disability or health related benefit.

To date around 40% of appeals against Atos Origin’s decisions have been successful.

Atos have now extended their harassment of sick and disabled by using legal threats to silence websites which have been critical of them:  http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2011/08/22/atos-origin-vs-the-internet-stop-atos-censorsing-the-web/