ska_mna Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) Just been sent a link to this website. Campaign against private companies who benefit from people who are made to work unpaid with the threat of loss of benefits. List of companies benefiting: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/ Boycott Workfare is a UK-wide campaign to end forced unpaid work for benefits. Workfare benefits the rich by providing free labour, whilst threatening the poor by taking away welfare rights if people refuse to work without a living wage. We expose and take action against companies and organisations profiting from workfare; encourage organisations to pledge to boycott it; and actively inform people of their rights. What a mess we are in. Also worth linking this to an opinion piece in the Guardian today >, pointing out that we, as a nation, are increasingly disgusted by poor people themselves rather than poverty. I think it's a useful distinction to make, and you don't have to be a statist labourite luvvie tw4t to realise that the problems of poverty are a product of the economic climate and system we've created rather than the relative small number of genuinely work-shy leeches. Move manufacturing to China, replace jobs with benefits system, inflate credit bubble, spend beyond our means, allow elite to cream huge wages off the top of illicit parasitic profits pulled in from future demand creating massive inequality, make living costs so expensive that a basic wage isn't enough to live on (no longer pays to work) etc. etc. What a massive c0ck-up we've made of things, eh. Edited February 16, 2012 by ska_mna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
long time lurking Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Worryingly, public sector jobs at Medway Council are also being filled with workfare placements If they are to be made to work the council should be the first on the list surely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timak Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 http://jobcentreplus.jobhits.co.uk/TESCO-NIGHT-SHIFT-id-BSD-27442 Fancy a night shift at Tesco. Used to pay £10 an hour. Now pays JSA+expenses. Tesco have had £10m worth of free labour (7000 workfare placements) and have taken on 4% of the people they've had in. Still Tesco got a bit richer so all is well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
council dweller Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Yes, this needs to be stamped on now. Boycott!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendy Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I guess it’s a bit of a DOUBLE EDGED SWORED (crapspeak alert). In one way it’s unfair on those who has legitimately lost their jobs and can’t find anything, yet I guess if stores use free labour to keep their costs down, and therefore the product costs too, it’s like them in work getting a taxback discount should they shop in one of the stores that takes advantage of the scheme. Personally I’m not particularly in agreement with it. Unfortunately for it to be fair would mean adding layers of bureaucracy that’d cost more than it would generate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clockslinger Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) Just been sent a link to this website. Campaign against private companies who benefit from people who are made to work unpaid with the threat of loss of benefits. List of companies benefiting: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/ What a mess we are in. Also worth linking this to an opinion piece in the Guardian today >, pointing out that we, as a nation, are increasingly disgusted by poor people themselves rather than poverty. I think it's a useful distinction to make, and you don't have to be a statist labourite luvvie tw4t to realise that the problems of poverty are a product of the economic climate and system we've created rather than the relative small number of genuinely work-shy leeches. Move manufacturing to China, replace jobs with benefits system, inflate credit bubble, spend beyond our means, allow elite to cream huge wages off the top of illicit parasitic profits pulled in from future demand creating massive inequality, make living costs so expensive that a basic wage isn't enough to live on (no longer pays to work) etc. etc. What a massive c0ck-up we've made of things, eh. Yes, I'd agree with the comment about disgust at poor people, something regularly manifested even on this site. Just look at the acceptability of a word like "chav", an indistinct form of insult, generally applied to the disenfranchised, particularly an unemployed benefit recipient. Try substituting black or woman in a sentence uttered by someone using the word to see just how acceptable the term has become. (think there is a book on this called Chavs - the demonisation of the working class, so this isn't an original thoght of mine BTW) Completely disagree that this situation is accidental ( as implied by **** up) however; quite the opposite. It is a continuation of the same exercise that began with breaking trade unions as a real political counterweight. This is a carefully engineered project designed to serve the interests of the supermarket/banking /political/ media kleptocracy. No conspiricy theory, simply the inevitable outcome of allowing the political system to be shaped and guided by the most powerful and wealthiest political lobbies. It is utterly vital for them, given what the rest of us are about to experience, that there is NO organised, effective opposition outside their control, hence the effort to divide and rule with wheezes like this. Doubtless a lot of wind and ink will be let loose by the hordes defending the use of my tax to underwrite the bottom line of multinationals because it makes "the scroungers" pay for their benefits. On that basis I want the Noble Chuckle Brothers of Windsor to clean my house once a week instead of twa**ing about in helicopters meant for proper people to fight in. Edited February 16, 2012 by clockslinger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) Yes, I'd agree with the comment about disgust at poor people, something regularly manifested even on this site. Just look at the acceptability of a word like "chav", an indistinct form of insult, generally applied to the disenfranchised, particularly an unemployed benefit recipient. Try substituting black or woman in a sentence uttered by someone using the word to see just how acceptable the term has become. (think there is a book on this called Chavs - the demonisation of the working class, so this isn't an original thoght of mine BTW) Completely disagree that this situation is accidental ( as implied by **** up) however; quite the opposite. It is a continuation of the same exercise that began with breaking trade unions as a real political counterweight. This is a carefully engineered project designed to serve the interests of the supermarket/banking /political/ media kleptocracy. No conspiricy theory, simply the inevitable outcome of allowing the political system to be shaped and guided by the most powerful and wealthiest political lobbies. It is utterly vital for them, given what the rest of us are about to experience, that there is NO organised, effective opposition outside their control, hence the effort to divide and rule with wheezes like this. Doubtless a lot of wind and ink will be let loose by the hordes defending the use of my tax to underwrite the bottom line of multinationals because it makes "the scroungers" pay for their benefits. On that basis I want the Noble Chuckle Brothers of Windsor to clean my house once a week instead of twa**ing about in helicopters meant for proper people to fight in. +1 Also HMV are on that list. Free workers and they are still screwed! Edited February 16, 2012 by "Steed" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichB Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 It's disgusting. Surely there must an FIO out there somewhere that itemises how much each company has benefitted from this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ska_mna Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Completely disagree that this situation is accidental ( as implied by **** up) however; quite the opposite. It is a continuation of the same exercise that began with breaking trade unions as a real political counterweight. This is a carefully engineered project designed to serve the interests of the supermarket/banking /political/ media kleptocracy. No conspiricy theory, simply the inevitable outcome of allowing the political system to be shaped and guided by the most powerful and wealthiest political lobbies. It is utterly vital for them, given what the rest of us are about to experience, that there is NO organised, effective opposition outside their control, hence the effort to divide and rule with wheezes like this. Oh absolutely, completely agree. Our political system and institutions are incapable of making change. In fact everything is largely a product of them. It's also why I was so dismayed at the overwhelming rejection of AV+ last year. However small, it could have helped take a first chink out of the old guard's armour. But like you say, there is no real opposition to the status quo. There are still some unions, but the labour party is no longer a party for the worker but a party for the public sector/state. There's a big difference. Revolution it is then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone baby gone Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thanks to the OP - a few of my usual shops on here the as of tomorrow won't be getting my custom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thanks to the OP - a few of my usual shops on here the as of tomorrow won't be getting my custom. Write and let them know why. Write to the local paper too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone baby gone Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Write and let them know why. Write to the local paper too. Surely this isn't the same Sarah Bell who was in favour of workfare only a few short months ago? Thanks, I'll be dropping a paper mail to the CEO of each company I am boycotting to let them know why I'm taking my custom elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Surely this isn't the same Sarah Bell who was in favour of workfare only a few short months ago? I think sarah was more in favour of the unemployed doing some hedge tidying and clearing up litter IIRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saberu Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 JSA+EXPENSES Permanent Wow the situation is a lot worse than I thought. I assumed workfare was just for a month in which case at least it would be a hassle for companies to constantly recruit people but this is a permanent position for JSA. This means JSA is OFFICIALLY the new minimum wage, around 1.80 an hour is that? That's disgusting even by Chinese standards, because they don't have the inflated living costs we do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Surely this isn't the same Sarah Bell who was in favour of workfare only a few short months ago? Thanks, I'll be dropping a paper mail to the CEO of each company I am boycotting to let them know why I'm taking my custom elsewhere. The jobs that are being done should be paid jobs that companies should be paying for. Inventing nice jobs planting trees and the likes would be a much nicer thing to do for nowt.nalthough you could argue the skills learnt are not transferable to the modern jobs on offer. There are lots of things that could be dne for workfare that would make peoples lives much better: being a tesco slave isn't one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone baby gone Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I think sarah was more in favour of the unemployed doing some hedge tidying and clearing up litter IIRC Yeah, I'll bet those unemployed council sub-contractors would love it. "Mummy, why aren't there any Christmas presents this year?" "That's because Daddy doesn't have a job any more" "But where does he go every day?" "Well, he does have a job darling, but he doesn't actually get paid for doing it" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ska_mna Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Wow the situation is a lot worse than I thought. I assumed workfare was just for a month in which case at least it would be a hassle for companies to constantly recruit people but this is a permanent position for JSA. This means JSA is OFFICIALLY the new minimum wage, around 1.80 an hour is that? That's disgusting even by Chinese standards, because they don't have the inflated living costs we do. John Harris has written a piece on that specific Tesco job ad now too - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/16/work-free-tesco-job-advert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishbone Glover Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I'm glad that we were already boycotting Tesco, after finding out they were actively recruiting store managers for London, at ludicrously low wages, in Eastern Europe. This just adds further fuel to the fire and I'll be telling everyone I know what they're up to and ask them to boycott Tesco as well. This has really pi**ed me off! :angry: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 John Harris has written a piece on that specific Tesco job ad now too - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/feb/16/work-free-tesco-job-advert So tax credit subsidies no longer enough, they want free labour under the guise of 'helping' (themselves). This is actually very chilling - anything but face the realities of a broken economy that can not support its population economically - that would require some radical rethinking of what and economy/society is. As sure as eggs is eggs, it starts with bashing the unemployed (because of course their unemployment is their fault), and leads to the need to be seen to be doing something. The elite can continue with their snouts in the trough and the likes of A4E can go on rewarding themselves for loading the conveyor belt of false hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gardener Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thanks to the OP for posting this and to those responsible for the boycottworkfare website. I'm going through the list and will be boycotting those shops involved in this. For us this means no more Tesco, though we've halved our spend there anyway due to a new Lidl opening locally and Co-op becoming more competitive on pricing. I shall miss the Tesco vouchers as I used them for Eurotunnel a lot but we must take a stand on this. I don't spend at most of the other stores on the list but I will actively boycott them too (every little helps). I will also, for the first time in my life, get writing some letters (or emails) to the companies concerned letting them know that I am taking my business elsewhere and why I am doing it. We have to take a stand on this and stamp it out before it grows and we'll all end up as slaves. Reading some of the stories on the boycott website has got me so angry. Many years ago I worked in some of those type of stores and I recognise the sort of management behaviour they complain about. It beggars belief that companies are getting involved with this sort of practice as it is clearly unpopular with not only the workfare staff but also their existing permanent staff (who lose paid hours due to the slaves). I'm sure that their own workers will put the boot into them too, by working slower and sabotaging things in their own way. We have to kill this sort of crap stone dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamdamosuzuki Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 on QT just now. imho a disgusting situation. Boycotted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Gordon Pugh Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Yep, ill be avoiding all of these companies from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
singlemalt Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Why am I not surprised that Tesco is amongst the companies involved in this! They seem intent on snatching more and more market share of every market. Tesco Finance Tesco Cars Tesco Mobile Tesco Entertainment Tesco are a money grubbing amoral company. Firmly on my boycott list a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britney's Piers Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 (edited) So tax credit subsidies no longer enough, they want free labour under the guise of 'helping' (themselves). This is actually very chilling - anything but face the realities of a broken economy that can not support its population economically - that would require some radical rethinking of what and economy/society is. As sure as eggs is eggs, it starts with bashing the unemployed (because of course their unemployment is their fault), and leads to the need to be seen to be doing something. The elite can continue with their snouts in the trough and the likes of A4E can go on rewarding themselves for loading the conveyor belt of false hope. Yes but when everyone works for Tesco for pennies who is going to be left shopping in Tesco? They will be schooled again in the Henry Ford wisdom of wages, the only question is when and how bad it will get beforehand. Edited February 16, 2012 by Britney's Piers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gardener Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Why am I not surprised that Tesco is amongst the companies involved in this! They seem intent on snatching more and more market share of every market. Tesco Finance Tesco Cars Tesco Mobile Tesco Entertainment Tesco are a money grubbing amoral company. Firmly on my boycott list a long time ago. Sadly I recently renewed a car insurance with Tesco but I will not be doing so again. The Tesco PAYG mobiles are going. As is the Tesco credit card. Already have another credit card so I'm switching spending immediately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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