Newcastle Workfare Picket
Event date: March 31, 2012 14:00
Tagged as: economic_crisis social_struggles
outside Holland and Barrett
11 Bigg Market
Newcastle NE1 1UN
Places: newcastle
The Solidarity Federation (the UK section of the International Workers Association) is launching days of action against the government's controversial Workfare scheme.
In Newcastle members of the Solidarity Federation are concentrating on health food chain Holland and Barrett,
who are to benefit hugely from the scheme.
Holland and Barrett are set to become the biggest exploiters of unpaid labour with plans to take on thousands of work placements under the Tory Governments controversial workfare scheme. With over 1000 workfare placements mooted, this amounts to 1 in 4 staff in Holland and Barrett drawn from the unemployed, forced to work for nothing to retain their meagre benefits.
The government claims that Workfare provides people with valuable workplace experience that will make it much easier for them to find permanent employment. But this is just lies. Even the governments own research found that Workfare schemes made it harder not easier for jobseekers to find work.
A UK Government study into Workfare in the USA, Canada and Australia found that Workfare can reduce employment chances by limiting the time available for job search and by failing to provide the skills and experience valued by employers. The same study also found that Workfare is particularly ineffective at leading to work during periods of high unemployment.
Sol Fed members are asking others to join them on a demonstration outside the Holland & Barrett store on the Bigg Market on Saturday 31st of March, 2-5pm.
http://www.solfed.org.uk/?q=newcastle-workfare-picket