END UNPAID WORK: Anti-workfare picket (Saturday 24 November, Deptford)
Dennis Bergkamp | 19.11.2012 10:58
South London Solfed is continuing with its campaign against workfare with a picket of Poundland in Deptford, South London. The picket takes place at 12 noon on Saturday 24 November, address: Poundland, 144 Deptford High Street, London SE8 4AA
South London Solidarity Federation continues the campaign against Workfare with another picket of Poundland. The budget shop has announced that it is re-entering the controversial unpaid work scheme after the defeat of a court case against it: 
http://solfed.org.uk/?q=south-london%2Fslsf-to-poundland-youre-next
More on Workfare:
Workfare is a government scheme in which unemployed people are bullied into working for their Jobseekers' Allowance benefits. People on the Workfare scheme are forced to stack shel
ves for up to 30 hours a week, working out to an hourly wage of just £1.60.
In response to a growing movement of opposition to the Workfare scheme, a number of companies have quit the programme, while the government has released a steady stream of untruths.
To clarify a couple of points:
-Workfare is NOT voluntary: people on the programme are often only given one week to 'twist or stick'. If they leave their placement then they face punishment via benefit sanction, as well as a stern rebuke from their Jobcentre Advisor.
-Workfare does NOT get people into jobs. By the government's own admission, according to a recent DWP report, the programme has NOT increased the employment chances of people on its scheme. Only around 49% of Workfarers go off of benefits (and what percentage of that is due to Jobcentre sanction?), and of those who go through the programme without finding work, there is actually an increased likelihood that they will return to benefits. The Employment Secretrary responded to this news by announcing £5m of extra funding for the scheme, demonstrating that Workfare is punishment for the unemployed, rather than an attempt to help them.
-People on Workfare do NOT gain valuable experience which helps them in the job market. Most of them end up stacking shelves in retail outlets, or working for free in charity shops.
-Workfare is NOT just an issue for unemployed people; in fact, it affects ALL of us. If the government and bosses are able to get away with paying just £1.60/hr, what will that mean for people working for a regular wage? What does that mean for the national minimum wage of £6.08/hr? And the Workfare placements are instead REAL vacancies, taking away genuine jobs from the working class.
More info here:
http://solfed.org.uk/?q=unwaged-workers%2Ffactsheet-5-kinds-of-workfare
http://www.boycottworkfare.org/
http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/
http://solfed.org.uk/?q=south-london%2Fslsf-to-poundland-youre-next More on Workfare:
Workfare is a government scheme in which unemployed people are bullied into working for their Jobseekers' Allowance benefits. People on the Workfare scheme are forced to stack shel
ves for up to 30 hours a week, working out to an hourly wage of just £1.60.
In response to a growing movement of opposition to the Workfare scheme, a number of companies have quit the programme, while the government has released a steady stream of untruths.
To clarify a couple of points:
-Workfare is NOT voluntary: people on the programme are often only given one week to 'twist or stick'. If they leave their placement then they face punishment via benefit sanction, as well as a stern rebuke from their Jobcentre Advisor.
-Workfare does NOT get people into jobs. By the government's own admission, according to a recent DWP report, the programme has NOT increased the employment chances of people on its scheme. Only around 49% of Workfarers go off of benefits (and what percentage of that is due to Jobcentre sanction?), and of those who go through the programme without finding work, there is actually an increased likelihood that they will return to benefits. The Employment Secretrary responded to this news by announcing £5m of extra funding for the scheme, demonstrating that Workfare is punishment for the unemployed, rather than an attempt to help them.
-People on Workfare do NOT gain valuable experience which helps them in the job market. Most of them end up stacking shelves in retail outlets, or working for free in charity shops.
-Workfare is NOT just an issue for unemployed people; in fact, it affects ALL of us. If the government and bosses are able to get away with paying just £1.60/hr, what will that mean for people working for a regular wage? What does that mean for the national minimum wage of £6.08/hr? And the Workfare placements are instead REAL vacancies, taking away genuine jobs from the working class.
More info here:
http://solfed.org.uk/?q=unwaged-workers%2Ffactsheet-5-kinds-of-workfare http://www.boycottworkfare.org/ http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/
Dennis Bergkamp