[Sat 3rd Mar 2012] Boycott Workfare National Day of Action (UK)

[BigTom]

UK-wide day of action against workfare – Saturday 3rd March

In solidarity with Liverpool Uncut’s action against workfare on Saturday 3rd March, Boycott Workfare has called a national day of action against workfare. There’s already actions planned in Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, London, Leeds, Sheffield and Tunbridge Wells (with Glasgow, Notts and others planning!). Why not visit your high street as well?

So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice – Tescos, Poundland, Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, and Topshop to name but a few. Get a group together, make a plan, and head to the streets.

Workfare means that those who need welfare are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of a living wage, they receive only JSA – a tiny £53 a week for the under-25s – far below minimum wage.

Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?

We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones, Sainsburys and TK Maxx have all recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation.

We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all!
If you continue to exploit us we WILL shut you down!

Details of actions:
Birmingham – 11.30am outside Poundland on Union Street.
Brighton - Brighton has already established an anti-workfare group which in January targeted Poundland. Join them at Tescos on James St from 11.30am-1pm.
Bristol – 12 noon at College Green.
Leeds - See Facebook event. And join the Tesco demo on Monday 20th Feb.
Liverpool – Take action with UK Uncut, 1pm until 4pm. Meet Next to Nowhere Social Centre, Bold Street, Liverpool.
London – Meet outside BHS on Oxford Street, 11:30am.
Sheffield – Meet Devonshire Green, Sheffield, 1pm. We will meet at 1pm and decide on a target.
Tunbridge Wells – Meet at the Millennium clock in Tunbridge Wells at 12 noon.

Let us know what you’re planning. The campaign is UK-wide!

More info about all the events is linked to from the boycott workfare website link at the top of the post.

Lets make this a big day, with lots of events everywhere. Tesco is the prime target, although we are going for Poundland here who are reviewing their position and are a local firm.
So many firms have dropped out, we can take down workfare, no company wants to be associated with it at the moment. Good action on the streets could tip the balance on this one..

(Then we need to be careful it's not just put back into the voluntary sector, or used to force the big society on us with workfare used to cover for cuts in the public sector)

 

[BigTom]

Cardiff 2pm, Poundland, 13 Queen Street, CF10 2AQ
http://www.facebook.com/events/182605755176124/

 

[butchersapron]

Bristol: time bit wobbly at present - early though

 

[SpineyNorman]

Sheffield: Meet at Devonshire Green at 1 o'clock.

 

[weepiper]

Glasgow Maryhill Tesco at 1pm

 

[krink]

newcastle at midday meet at eldon square entrance in northumberland street

 

[BigTom]

Oxford assemble 12:00 @ Carfax Tower, Oxford before moving off to selected target(s)

 

[BigTom]

York - assemble 1pm, Parliament Street Fountain, targets to be decided on the day.

 

[BigTom]

Lewisham, London - 1pm, Lewisham High Street

 

[krink]

bigtom has no love for newcastle

 

[Geri]

I thought Tesco had pulled out of the scheme now? Seems a bit pointless protesting there if they are no longer involved. What is Superdrug's position?

 

[Greebo]

I thought Tesco had pulled out of the scheme now?<snip>

No - they said work trials (lasting a few weeks) would be offered to those who signed off to take them, but they'd also continue to "offer" unpaid work to anyone (via the jobcentre) wanting to stay on benefit in case it didn't work out. Not quite the same as pulling out of the scheme.

 

[Geri]

What about Superdrug?

 

[BigTom]

bigtom has no love for newcastle

lol.. I've liked to post now to make you look quite the fool

What about Superdrug?

Superdrug have suspended their involvement in the scheme until it is made entirely voluntary, as have Argos.

 

[BigTom]

Oh, and I'm sure people will move their demos if the store in question does pull out entirely, there's plenty of others still involved, though fewer and fewer each day.

 

[DeadRussian]

Nottingham

• ​
  
  ***12:00 Outside Wilkinsons, Parliament St***Called by NottsUncut***
  
  In solidarity with Liverpool Uncut’s action against workfare on Saturday 3rd March, Boycott Workfare has called a national day of action against workfare.
  
  So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice – Tescos, Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, and Topshop to name but a few.
  
  Workfare means that those who need welfare are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of a living wage, they receive only JSA – a tiny £53 a week for the under-25s – far below minimum wage.
  
  Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?
  
  We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones, Sainsburys and TK Maxx have all recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation.
  
  We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all!
  If you continue to exploit us we WILL shut you down!
  
  https://www.facebook.com/events/397292173620646/​

 

[BigTom]

Up to 20 places now - http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=359
I'm not sure if they've all been listed in this thread, there's now 5 in London..

Belfast - Name & Shame Workfare/Steps to Work Tour. Meeting outside Tesco Metro, Royal Avenue at 2pm - Facebook Event
is the 20th, and makes this UK wide

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Events could now prove interesting, as plod have the orders from Tory HQ to crack anyone over the head for obstructing the pavement.

 

[BigTom]

Manchester – 12pm at 60 Market Street. More details here.
Margate – 11am at Occupy Thanet site

up to 22 now

 

[Mr.Bishie]

BRIGHTON BENEFITS CAMPAIGN​

Tesco, Jubilee Street, Brighton - 12 midday.​

​

 

[BigTom]

Accessibility information for Birmingham demo

 

[dynamicbaddog]

STOP WORKFARE HACKNEY -
We're winning. Keep fighting.

Meet at 12:00 on the Narrow Way (Mare St.) by St Augustine's Tower
**Bring placards, music, noisemakers**​

 

[BigTom]

well over 30 places taking part now - remember, sanctions have only been removed from one scheme (work experience scheme), and the government has been quite clear in the past that if you refuse to volunteer for that scheme you will be sent on a mandatory placement instead.
Up to 6 motnhs for JSA claimants.. unlimited for disability claimants.

Aberdeen – 12 noon outside M&S. See Facebook event here.
Belfast – Name & Shame Workfare/Steps to Work Tour. Meeting outside Tesco Metro, Royal Avenue at 2pm. See Facebook event.
Birmingham – 11.30am outside Poundland on Union Street. Facebook event.
Brighton - Brighton Benefits Campaign are picketing Tesco in Jubilee Street (opposite Jubilee Square) from 12 noon. See Facebook event. Brighton Youth Fight for Jobs & Education are picketing Tesco in St James’s Street Kemp Town from 11.30am.See Facebook event.
Bristol – 12 noon at College Green. More info.
Cambridge - Meet 1.30 at the Cambridge Tescos on Newmarket Road.
Cardiff - 2pm Outside Poundland on Queen Street. See Facebook event.
Dundee – Meeting outside Boots in the City Centre at 1pm. More info.
Edinburgh - 12 noon, Hunter Square, Edinburgh, all welcome. See facebook event.
Glasgow – 1pm, March 3rd, Top Shop 229 Buchanan Street. See Facebook event.
Leeds - 12 noon until 3pm. Location tbc. See Facebook event.
Lincoln – Picket, protest, occupy. Meeting 12 noon on High Street. More details to come.
Liverpool – Take action with UK Uncut, 1pm until 4pm. Meet Next to Nowhere Social Centre, Bold Street, Liverpool. More info.
London, Brixton - 12 noon, Acre Lane Tesco.
London, Ealing – 1pm, The Arcadia Centre 50/52 Broadway, Ealing W5 2ND. See Facebook event.
London, Islington – Meet at Angel Station at 10am. See Facebook event.
London, Oxford Street – Meet outside BHS on Oxford Street, 11:30am. More info and download leaflet for the Oxford St action.
London, Hackney – See Facebook event.
London, Kingston - 1pm, Outside Starbucks at the top of Kingston High Street, near the junction with Eden Street. KT1 1NY. See Facebook Event
London, Lewisham – Join UK Uncut at 1pm, Lewisham High Street More Information.
London, Walthamstow - 12 noon outside the Nat West bank in Walthamstow Town Square.
Manchester – 12pm at 60 Market Street. More details here.
Margate – 11am at Occupy Thanet site. Facebook event here.
Milton Keynes – 1pm at McDonalds, MK Central. Facebook event here.
Newcastle – 12pm outside Eldon Square. See Facebook event.
Norwich – 2pm outside Primark, Haymarket,Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1QD
Nottingham – 12pm outsideWilkinsons, Parliament Street See Facebook event.
Oxford – Join Solidarity Federation in a Thames Valley action. Assemble 12 noon at Carfax Tower before moving on to selected target(s). More Information.
Paisley – Meet on the High Street at 11.30am at the old Littlewoods site
Rotherham - Meet 12.30 at MacDonalds.
Sheffield – Meet Devonshire Green, Sheffield, 1pm. We will meet at 1pm and decide on a target. See Facebook event.
Swansea – 12 o’clock, McDonald’s, Castle Square.
Tunbridge Wells – Meet at the Millennium clock in Tunbridge Wells at 12 noon.
Worthing, West Sussex – Meet 1pm at Bandstand in Montague Place, Montague Street, for Workfare Walk round town centre. Organised by Occupy Worthing.
York – Meet at 1pm, Parliament Street Fountain.

 

[krink]

which big companies are still 100% support of workfare? I've lost track with all the statements about withdrawing from the scheme or suspending involvement.

 

[BigTom]

http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?page_id=16

main players:

Tesco - still take part in the Work Experience Scheme, but if you want you can go on their scheme instead where you will get paid by them at their starting rate, and there is a guaranteed job at the end of it as long as you perform ok.
No idea if they are involved in any of the other 4 compulsory schemes.

(Lots of holes in this - how are the jobs guaranteed? Tesco had done 1,400 of the 3,000 placements it agreed to before changing things, but only 300 people had got jobs - are there now going to be 1,600 jobs? Will these jobs be full time? permanent?. What are the criteria for success on the placement?)

Poundland - have withdrawn from the Work Program. Still taking part in the Work Experience Scheme (which no longer has sanctions, except for gross misconduct). It is not known if they were taking part in any of the other 3 compulsory schemes, but I would assume not as from what I've heard they withdrew from the work program because it is compulsory and they are one of the firms named in the Public Interest Lawyer's legal challenge to workfare, and they don't want to face any legal challenge over this, so I should think they have withdrawn from all compulsory schemes.

McDonalds - have not made any kind of statement. I don't know which schemes they are involved with
Holland and Barret - as above.

Boots - Have withdrawn from the Work Progam. Still in the Work Expereince Scheme I think, but they made some kind of statement about this that was very vague. Don't know about other schemes.

HMV - said they never took part in any govt. program, but are reviewing their own work experience schemes to make sure that they are not exploiting anyone.

 

[smokedout]

Online action for folk who can't make it in person

http://benefitclaimantsfightback.wo...ainst-workfare-saturday-3rd-sunday-4th-march/

 

[BigTom]

Nicking this off @brumprotestor on twitter.. 6 key facts for today:

1) Sanctions have only been removed from 1 scheme - the work experience scheme. There are 4 others which are still mandatory

2) Government has said that anyone who does not volunteer for work experience will be sent on a mandatory scheme instead

3) If you are on JSA, the maximum work placement is 6 months, on the Community Activity Program

4) If you are on ESA (disability benefits) then the plans are for placements with no time limit. This is for the Work Related Assessment Group (WRAG), which includes terminal cancer patients with more than 6 months to live. It is where you go if ATOS judge that you may be fit for some kind of work, with the right support. 40% of appeals against ATOS decision are upheld - a figure which rises to 70% when people have advocates, but appeals can take up to a year.. during which time, someone wrongly placed in the WRAG group may be forced to work full time for their benefits, at huge cost to their health.

5) Workfare does not work. People sent on workfare schemes are no more likely to find work than people who are not sent on schemes. The DWP did a study in 2008 which concluded that workfare may even reduce someones chances of finding work

http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=647 (post about success rates - DWP study is linked to from there)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentis...ent?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

6) Workfare threatens paid jobs and hours by providing companies with a rolling supply of free labour:

http://ssac.independent.gov.uk/pdf/minutes/07-12-11.pdf Sec 6.3(c) is the key bit:

Work Experience allowed for 25 hours work activity, so overtime to permanent staff was being reduced or removed ... There was also evidence to suggest that work experience placements were being taken on to cover Christmas vacancies

http://www.channel4.com/news/now-asda-is-accused-of-employing-youths-for-no-wage

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmpubacc/uc1814-i/uc181401.htm - Q43 to Public Accounts Committee

 

[AKA pseudonym]

Pizza hut oxford st closed down #workfare
photo: http://yfrog.com/es9rhjjj

 

[BigTom]

From what I've seen on twitter the central london protest round Oxford Street has been immense, closing loads of businesses, and no arrests (which is probably a first for the met police).

Birmingham:
http://birminghamagainstthecuts.wor...ott-workfare-demonstration-report-and-photos/

really good, will do a proper write up for indymedia later this afternoon, had around 50 people which is big for Birmingham for a small demo (as opposed to the large marches).
Poundland, Greggs and McDonalds all targetted. McDs occupied briefly to finish the demo. Agreed to do another demo on Thursday evening at Primark, to keep pushing and building for our organising meeting at the end of the month.

 

[Geri]

Smallish but fairly lively protest in Bristol. I was talking to a girl in Poundland who had been taken on in this scheme and worked for a month with no pay (40 hours a week). She didn't agree with their decision to leave the scheme but she agreed it would have been better for her to have been paid a proper wage for the month!