Finally revealed: the business's charities and councils involved in Free Labour/Workfare Scheme.

[treelover]

Revealed: the High Street names that used benefits claimants as free labour


Government fought in the courts for four years to keep the companies' identities a secret saying it would damage their 'commercial interests'

The names of hundreds of major companies and leading British charities who used a benefits scheme to employ people without paying them have been revealed after the government lost a four-year legal battle to protect their identities.

Well-known high street firms were among more than 500 organisations who used the free labour of welfare claimants, after they were forced to take unpaid work under rules brought in by David Cameron's Coalition government.

The government spent four years fighting not to show you this DWP list

 

[treelover]

The list of 534 organisations, which can be read in full here, includes firms such as Tesco, Nando's, Boots, Superdrug, Morrisons, Asda, Co-op, WH Smith, Poundstretcher, Cash Converter, DHL and a host of other major corporations.

And it also includes charities such as the British Red Cross, Age UK, Cancer Research, Marie Curie, the National Trust, Oxfam, the RSPB, the Salvation Army and Shelter.

Local councils who participated included Essex, Whitby, Leicester, Scarborough, Fenland, Thurrock, Hartlepool and Rochford.

They made use of free labour under the scheme for a six-month period between July 2011 and January 2012.

Also, the Tories apparently have put back UC till 2020

Congratulations to small groups like Boycott Workfare and Keep It Voluntary who have done sterling work on these issues.

update, just noticed CAB are there, as well as numerous 'progressive' charities.

 

[treelover]

Tories spent 4 years hiding this list of firms using jobseekers for unpaid work


506. Wat Tyler Centre

Eh!

 

[treelover]

lots of people saying they will end direct debits to charities, etc.


Interesting that many of these organisations didn't want to comment, that they were involved, etc,, if they really thought they were helping people surely they would shout about it from the rafters.

 

[sealion]

I often bought stuff from the British Heart Foundation in Brixton(i don't anymore).Got to know one of the staff over time, I saw her upset one day and asked what was wrong.She told me she was there under duress and would have her benefit stopped if she refused to "volunteer". Bastards.

 

[BigTom]

Good to see this list finally! MWA has finished now of course so it's no longer exactly relevant. Surprised to see the CAB on there as iirc they spoke out against workfare, perhaps they helped with placements at the start and pulled out. Lots of commercial companies on there too which proves the lie that any mandatory placement would only be with charity / community organisations.

 

[sealion]

Good to see this list finally! MWA has finished now of course so it's no longer exactly relevant. Surprised to see the CAB on there as iirc they spoke out against workfare, perhaps they helped with placements at the start and pulled out. Lots of commercial companies on there too which proves the lie that any mandatory placement would only be with charity / community organisations.

I think a few of the companies pulled out of the "scheme" once the media got hold of it.Poundland was in the spotlight for it.
Workfare scheme setback as Poundland 'slave' wins appeal

 

[sealion]

I also have a gripe with these so called charity shops.They only have to pay one pence from every pound received to the charity they represent.The rest go's to the "management".