What is workfare?
Unemployed people being forced to work for free for up to 6 months with no guarantee of a job afterwards, many of them for major high street companies.

Does workfare help the unemployed?
The government’s own research found that in countries that introduced workfare it could actually lower a jobseeker’s chances of finding a job. Where previously these roles would have been filled by paid staff, employers get to take advantage of a growing pool of jobseekers they won’t have to pay.

What if I have a job already?
Workfare means employers can lay-off their staff and replace them with people they don’t have to pay. The point of workfare is to drive down wages and working conditions, undermining even the minimum wage which many struggle to survive on.
Workfare isn’t about saving money – in fact these schemes are hugely expensive to the government. Workfare is a massive subsidy to private companies: providing them with free labour at public expense. The government has long been subsidising companies that pay low wages by topping-up poverty pay with benefits and tax credits. Workfare means less pay for us and more profits for them.

The state and businesses are colluding to undermine all our conditions.
We say: END UNPAID WORK.

There are plans to introduce Workfare for people in the Work Related Activity Group for sickness benefit (ESA). Most people who get turned down for sickness benefit win their case on appeal with the help of an advice centre. However some are conned by the Dept. for Work and Pensions into claiming Job Seekers Allowance, while appealing, and forced onto Workfare even though they are unfit for work.

Organised by Claimants Resisting Unfair Treatment Cuts and Harassment

 thecrutchcollective@gmail.com  http://thecrutchcollective.blogspot.com/

Supported by Glasgow Anarchist Federation and Glasgow Solidarity Federation

There are now at least 18 pickets against Workfare on March 31st. More info here:

 http://solfed.org.uk/?q=campaigns%2Fworkfare

March 31st is a national day of action against workfare called by the Solidarity Federation. This ties in with the international days of action against austerity called by the International Workers Association (IWA) - which includes a general strike in Spain on March 29th - and the M31 European Day of Action Against Capitalism.

Facebook Event Page:

 http://www.facebook.com/events/326075244120535/?context=create#!/events/326075244120535/