DWP Ordered To Name The Workfare Exploiters

The Information Tribunal ordered the DWP to name the companies and charities involved in workfare at an appeal hearing this work.

A long running war of words has been waging between the DWP and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) ever since a Freedom of Information request was submitted by Frank Zola asking for the names of organisations taking placements under the Government’s Mandatory Work Activity scheme.  Three times the DWP have attempted to dodge the ICO’s demand for transparency which resulted in this week’s tribunal hearing.

In an astonishing legal defence the DWP claimed this week that if the public knew who was taking part in the workfare schemes then the entire racket might be in danger of collapse.  Providing an unwitting but glowing testimony to the effectiveness of Boycott Workfare and other anti-workfare campaigners, the department claimed:  “The activities of campaign groups and the results of negative publicity meant that… “a great many placement organisations” had ceased to offer placements. That in turn reduced the numbers of opportunities available across both programmes with a loss of many placements and prospective new placements being at risk.”

The DWP’s wild claims included a shabby, if half-hearted,  attempt to smear anti-workfare campaigners as violent – something which was dismissed out of hand by the tribunal – and even a claim that campaigners might be responsible for increasing unemployment.  This is despite the fact that the DWP’s own evidence shows that forced work has no impact on whether people taking part eventually find a real job.  It appears the department are desperate to blame anyone except themselves for the failure to bring down soaring unemployment.

Perhaps one of the most shocking aspects of the DWP’s evidence is just how far they wanted to go to protect charities from being held to account by their donor and their supporters.  The Charity Commission’s ‘Hallmarks of an Effective Charity’ is very clear that an “effective charity is accountable to the public and others with an interest in the charity in a way that is transparent and understandable”.  Yet, no doubt with the connivance of some of the charities themselves, the DWP have sought to undermine the very foundations of charity governance in an attempt to keep the public in the dark about the activities of the sector.

Unsurprisingly the views of the welfare-to-work industry were also brought in to bolster the DWP’s argument.  Evidence was submitted in which SEETEC warned disclosure of who the workfare exploiters are could put their very organisation at risk.  Another workfare contractor, Ingeus, claimed that it might cost them around £1 million in lost revenue if this information was made public – although by them, they meant us, because all their money has been stolen from the tax payer anyway.

This is a revealing admission from the corporate poverty pimps who have turned forced labour and harassment of the poor into a multi-billion pound scam.  It’s not just DWP policy that could be affected by an escalation in anti-workfare protests according to the industry, but the entire welfare-to-work gravy train.

With this in mind the last word should to go to Boycott Workfare themselves:

“Since the Salvation Army gets a special mention from the DWP for ‘holding the line’ (point 196), you may like to take this opportunity to remind them why this position is just so inconsistent with their Christian values. The Salvation Army UK can be contacted on facebook, by phone (020 7367 4500), by email (info@salvationarmy.org.uk). More background on their involvement and contact details can be found here, or you can tweet at them @salvationarmyuk”

Read the full judgement at: http://www.informationtribunal.gov.uk/DBFiles/Decision/i1016/EA-2012-0207%28+2%29_Judgment_17-05-2013.pdf

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

Workfare Makes You Free Claim Salvation Army – Join the Online Day of Action

Join the online day of action tomorrow (Tuesday 19th March) and tell workfare exploiters The Salvation Army exactly what the public think about their use of forced labour.

The Salvation Army released an astonishing statement recently which seems to suggest they will force people on sickness or disability benefits as into unpaid workers.

In a series of answers to questions asked on social media, the charity are unrepentant about their use of workfare.  Responding to a question asking how they “can morally take sick and disabled people and force them to work?” the charity reply that they believe in “emancipation through employment” – a chillingly familiar phrase.

The Salvation Army have shown they are happy to act as Iain Duncan Smith’s workfare foot soldiers and yesterday their fight for the right to use unpaid workers even became physical.  The charity’s response to a peaceful protest at their London offices was to man-handle protesters and then to falsely accuse one individual of assault.

This so called charity need to be shown just how many people object to their use of forced unpaid labour.  Join in the online day of action and tell them what you think!

Salvation Army UK can be contacted on twitter @salvationarmyuk and facebook: http://www.facebook.com/salvationarmyuk

They can be telephoned on (020) 7367 4500  or emailed at: info@salvationarmy.org.uk

The Salvation Army’s fake trendy youth section are on facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Alove-UK/120184218036083

The Salvation Army’s International Headquarters advised protesters to visit their London Elephant & Castle offices as part of today’s workfare protest.  They were met with a heavy handed and aggressive response which left one person arrested temporarily after being falsely accused of assault.  Salvation Army International are on twitter at @TSA_IHQ and facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyIHQ

To tell Salvation Army branches round the world what is being done in their name in the UK find twitter details at: https://twitter.com/search/users?q=salvation+army

Please tweet, blog, share and spread the word!

Join the National Week of Action Against Workfare now taking place: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1996

The Side Of Workfare That The YMCA Don’t Want You To See

Last year the homelessness charity SHP pulled out of the Government’s Work Programme after warning that people were forced to ‘beg and steal to survive’ due to the vicious sanctions regime.  Around half a million benefit claims are sanctioned each year, and under new regulations a sanction can now last up to three years.

Claimants can find benefits stopped for missing a meeting, not applying for enough jobs or failing to attend workfare with charities like YMCA England and the Salvation Army.  Claimant’s personal circumstances are often not taken into account leading to tens of thousands of claims wrongly sanctioned and overturned on appeal.

The YMCA’s mealy mouthed response to criticism of their involvement with the Mandatory Work Activity (MWA)  scheme has been to focus on the handful of cases where someone says they have had a good experience.  They even claim ‘several’ people forced to work unpaid for the charity have eventually found real jobs.

Even if this is the case it grossly misses the point.  Whilst forced work is clear exploitation, it is the stories of those unable to, or who refuse to work for free that reveal the true horror of the scheme.

When MWA was first proposed the Social Security Advisory Committee (SSAC) issued a damning report (PDF)  and recommended it should not go ahead.  The SSAC used to be a panel of experts who scrutinised welfare reforms.  Since that report the Government has attempted to staff the committee with chinless think-thank wonders like the Policy Exchange’s  Matthew Oakley whose only experience of the benefits system is watching the odd episode of Shameless.

Back when they SSAC had integrity they warned that it would be the most vulnerable claimants who would face sanctions.  They warned that ethnic minority claimants and those with a learning difficulty tend to be disproportionately sanctioned.   They questioned why if this scheme is supposed to help people it is impossible to volunteer for MWA and concluded it was intended as a means of punishment.

They even suggested that attendance on MWA may hamper people’s chances of gaining employment.  As well as limiting the time claimants have to look for work they pointed out that MWA may be confused with community service by employers.  As it would turn out the evidence from the scheme has shown it has no impact in helping people find employment.

The SSAC also reported concerns that people with ‘multiple difficulties’ are at greatest risk of sanctions on the scheme saying: “evidence shows that it is precisely those people who, perhaps because they have caring responsibilities or a disability, find it most difficult to meet their obligations in taking part in unpaid work activity.”

These are the type of people that charities like the YMCA and Salvation Army would claim to support, yet they are currently complicit in destroying their lives.

Housing Benefits are often stopped when claims are sanctioned leading to rent arrears.  Claimants who are fortunate enough to qualify for hardship payments, and many don’t,  receive just £42 a week.  When rent shortfalls (due to the Housing Benefit cuts and the upcoming bedroom tax),  and basic bills are paid, this leaves many claimants without any money at all left to buy food.  Parents are unable to buy even the basics to look after their children.  Many of those queuing up at food-banks have fallen victim to sanctions.  Hunger, child poverty and homelessness have become the weapons of choice at the DWP.

The YMCA never see or hear of those sanctioned because they didn’t attend workfare in one of their charity shops.  They never learn the reasons why.  They are hidden from the consequences of their dirty little workfare exploitation and think that this means their hands stay clean.

But whilst they stay involved in Mandatory Work Activity they are every bit as complicit in the tragedies that result from the current brutal system as Iain Duncan Smith himself.  They have sold their souls to the devil himself in exchange for a handful of free fake volunteers.  Even Judas Iscariot got a better deal.

Join the Rolling Online Picket of YMCA England and let them know what you think.

“Last July, Peter was called into Whitehaven Job Centre to see whether he would be suitable for volunteer work. “I went with him as he was very worried,’’ Christine said. “Physically, his leg was fused and he struggled to move around. He couldn’t properly grip with his hand and was due to have a calliper fitted to his foot. You only had to look at Peter to realise he couldn’t work.

“He was terrified they would stop his money as he had four loans. He couldn’t handle stress and would worry.’’

Peter received the text on the afternoon of November 26. The message didn’t state a date but a subsequent letter was sent days after Peter’s death with an appointment for December 17.

Christine said Peter rang her the day he received the text. He sounded low and told her he was going to bed early. “I didn’t think anything of it,’’ she said. But the next day when she couldn’t contact him, Christine went to his home when she discovered his body.

“He didn’t plan to kill himself,’’ she said. “I believe the text triggered him. It was the fear of what would happen to him. I’ve been unemployed, and he would support me when I felt down.”

http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/fears-over-benefits-led-to-tragedy-1.1024319

Join the National Week of Action Against Workfare beginning on March 18th: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1996

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

The Salvation Army: Fighting in the Name of Workfare

The Salvation Army have taken to boasting about their involvement in workfare, despite them claiming last year that they weren’t involved in  the scheme.

The charity has come out fighting after hundreds of people contacted them in disgust at their use of forced work. Their website now features the story of someone they claim ‘volunteered’ for Mandatory Work Activity, despite the regulations clearly stating you cannot volunteer for this programme.

The Salvation Army are once again banning those criticising them from their facebook page, despite entering into a dialogue earlier where they were unrepentant about their use of unpaid workers.  Several people have taken to visiting their young people’s Alove UK page instead, whilst others have gone international.  They can also still be contacted on twitter @salvationarmyuk

And don’t forget the other so called Christian charity who are happy to force people to work for free.  YMCA (@YMCA_England) are also involved in the Mandatory Work Activity scheme, despite their President, Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu (@JohnSentamu) claiming to be firmly opposed to workfare.  They can be found on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/THEYMCA

Join the National Week of Action Against Workfare beginning on March 18th: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1996

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

Fuck the Government, Fuck the Courts, We’ll Beat Workfare on the Streets

Join the Week of Action Against Workfare beginning on March 18th and let’s bring a final end to forced work:  http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1996

Charities around the UK are abandoning the Government’s forced labour obsession and pulling out of workfare.  Last year the volume of pressure from the public forced many private companies to distance themselves, with ongoing pickets and boycotts aimed at High Street names.

After an ongoing and sustained campaign by Solidarity Federation even Holland & Barrett, who were planing to take on thousands of unpaid workers, abandoned their exploitative plans.  Sol Fed have no turned their attention to Poundland, with a protest being held in Peckham this Saturday (16th March): https://www.facebook.com/events/398008846962583/?ref=2

The Unions have condemned workfare, with the PCS yesterday issuing their strongest statement yet objecting to unpaid work.

And yesterday the Courts ruled that Iain Duncan Smith’s bodged legislation led to many workfare schemes being illegal.

Workfare has been rejected by the public, ethical charities everywhere, the Unions and now even the courts.  But even this is not enough for DWP ministers who have caused utter confusion by attempting to rush new rules into law – exactly the kind of panicky blundering that led to yesterday’s court verdict.

Workfare can now only be beaten on the street, organise and spread the word about the week of action to help make it happen!

Visit Boycott Workfare for more info or join the facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/517491058274105/

And tell the workfare using charities on twitter what you think:  @Sue_Ryder @RSPCA_official @pdsa_hq @ymca_england @salvationarmyuk @tcvtweets @Papworth_Trust @RBLI

(and in the meantime, for once in their miserable lives, it might actually be worth contacting your MP.  John Mcdonnell has tabled a ‘prayer’ – don’t ask – in Parliament which may delay the new rules and needs support from MPs: http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2012-13/1072)

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

Workfare Can Be Broken – Join the Week of Action and help make it happen

From Boycott Workfare

Take part in the week of action against workfare 18-24 March

The Government is pushing ahead with increasingly savage workfare policies despite the fierce resistance to the scheme causing many high street names and national charities to pull out.

Unemployed people can now be sentenced to six months compulsory unpaid work as part of the Community Action Programme. On December 3rd last year – International Disabled People’s Day – the DWP introduced forced work for sick and disabled claimants.

Companies such as Superdrug, Argos and McDonalds, who have all been quick to take on unpaid workers on government schemes, have seen a year of boycotts, pickets, demonstrations and occupations due to their involvement in the scheme. Many national charities have pulled out as a result of protests, but some, such as The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), Salvation Army and Sue Ryder Foundation are unrepentent about their army of government subsidised unpaid workers. Many of the new workfare programmes depend on charities like these to provide placements.

Workfare can be broken by showing these organisations that the public have clearly rejected unpaid work. Evidence has shown that mandatory work has no impact in actually helping someone find a job, the stated aim of the scheme. Instead workfare is used to replace real jobs, with some companies even caught taking on unpaid workers to fill temporary Christmas positions.

Join Boycott Workfare on 18-24 March for a week of action against workfare exploiters everywhere. Take action in a town or city near you, join in online and show all those who profit from forced labour that we mean it when we say “if you exploit us, we will shut you down”.

Organise now and contact Boycott Workfare on Facebook or info[at]boycottworkfare.org to be added to the national list of actions.

Please share, tweet and spread the word!

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

There’s No Pay At The Y-M-C-A!*

“By all means, pay companies incentives to employ young people, but do not take advantage of the vulnerable by using them as free labour.”

The above quote is from Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu and one of a growing number of  voices in the Church condemning this Government’s obsession with unpaid labour.

Unfortunately the Bishop is also the president of workfare riddled YMCA, as has just been revealed by @boycottworkfare.

YMCA are involved in the Mandatory Work Activity (MWA) programme – four weeks full time unpaid work for organisations with a ‘community benefit’.  This scheme is the teeth of the workfare regime, used solely as punishment for those who refuse ‘voluntary’ workfare or are judged to be not trying to hard enough to find work.  The evidence shows that MWA does not help people find a job, and it is not intended to.  Under current rules it is not possible to volunteer for MWA.

The YMCA (@YMCA_England) have remained silent about their use of unpaid workers ever since the workfare row broke out.  Dr John Sentamu can be found on twitter (@JohnSentamu).     Perhaps he will have the grace to tell the truth about how his own charity takes “advantage of the vulnerable by using them as free labour”.

*I really wish I could claim credit for the above headline, but that goes to @wolvopingu

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness (unless thou is the Salvation Army fibbing about workfare)

The Salvation Army have been caught fibbing once again about their use of workfare after a Jobcentre referral to Mandatory Work Activity in one of their charity shops was posted on the internet.

The charity, who have now changed their story at least twice as their fibs have been exposed, originally claimed that they are not involved in workfare – as can still be seen in the google search results as pictured  above.

Then a piece was published in the Daily Record which described the experiences of one unpaid worker in a Salvation Army charity shop.  This led many people questioning them as to whether they were being honest when they claimed they didn’t use workfare.

Initially the charity fudged the issue, claiming this was an ‘agreed placement’ in a statement which is now only available in google’s cache.

Possibly due to the letter pictured below (which proves beyond doubt their use of workfare) they have now changed their statement yet again to plead:  “Anyone who volunteers their services to us does so in the knowledge that their benefits will not be affected.

We do not have any national agreements in place to provide mandatory 4-week work placements, but on a local level we are aware that our trading company has been approached by independent welfare to work providers which have been offering short-term work experience, locally, in some of our retail shops. We must stress that no placements are in place of paid work and we trust the decision of our local representatives to provide valuable professional experience.”

Note the attempt to mislead by claiming that anyone who ‘volunteers’ their services will not have their benefits affected.  The question is what happens to the benefits of people who haven’t volunteered, and have been sent on Mandatory Work Activity?

The answer, is that if they don’t turn up, they will have benefits stopped, possibly for up to three years.  This will drive those already struggling into entrenched poverty and quite possibly homelessness.

The latest statement from the Salvation Army seems to be the closest they are prepared to come to admitting to their use of forced unpaid workers.  And they only came clean about their dirty little workfare secret because they had to after being caught fibbing.

Jesus, if he actually existed, would not be pleased with this bunch of shady little helpers.  Check out what his non-existent dad said:

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.  Proverbs 6:16-19″

You can contact them on twitter @salvationarmyuk

Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid

Workfare Exploiters PDSA Win Queen’s Volunteering Award!

Animal charity and workfare exploiters PDSA have won an award for their use of forced labour, handed out by no less than The Queen!

PDSA, who have recently been bombarded on twitter  over use of workfare in their charity shops, have won the Queen’s Jubilee Award for services to volunteering.

This is despite the fact that many of the people working for free in PDSA charity shops are anything but volunteers.  PDSA has confirmed they use workfare and are believed to be involved with the Mandatory Work Activity scheme, four weeks forced labour which unemployed people are sentenced to if Jobcentre advisors decide they aren’t trying hard enough to find a job.  As the name suggests Mandatory Work Activity cannot be volunteered for.

This hasn’t stopped the Queen, the UK’s biggest benefit recipient, dishing out her scabby award which means the PDSA can now use the Diamond Jubilee logo on all their merchandising tat.

In yet another sign that they really are all in it together, PDSA’s patron is HRH Princess Alexandra, the Queen’s cousin!  They even rig their own charity awards the thieving fucking criminals.

Contact @pdsa_hq on twitter and demand they hand back their dishonestly accepted prize.

Could Mandatory Work Activity be on the Brink of Collapse?

An evaluation of the Government’s Mandatory Work Activity (MWA) scheme, commissioned and published by the DWP, reveals that welfare-to-work companies are struggling to find enough placements for all those forced into unpaid work.

In a further blow to the DWP’s plans for mass workfare, this report was released before several major charities, including Scope, British Heart Foundation, Age UK and Cancer Research announced they were pulling out of the scheme.

Mandatory Work Activity is just one of several workfare schemes, and involves four weeks full time unpaid work for organisations which can demonstrate a ‘community benefit’.  The scheme is used as punishment for those claimants not deemed to be trying hard enough to find work by Jobcentre advisors.  Under DWP rules it is not possible to volunteer for the scheme.

The report states that 33,170 people began on MWA between May 2011 and August 2012.  Of these around 75% of claimants were forced to work in charity shops, the very organisations who currently claim to be abandoning workfare.  Even before charities finally took a principled stand on unpaid work, the study shows that three districts in the UK were not meeting the minimum period of ten days between referral to the scheme and workfare beginning.  Welfare-to-work companies, who are paid for everybody they send on workfare, claim this is down to them being unable to source enough work placements.

One of the main reasons for the lack of placements is cited as “The high profile withdrawal of placements from a number of larger charities meant a sharp reduction in placements.”

The report also highlights problems finding placements due to competition from other workfare programmes as well as Community Payback.  Claimants on MWA are sentenced to a similar length of unpaid work as a mid-level community service punishment and often work alongside those convicted of an offence.

The evaluation blows apart some myths which have emerged about the scheme.  It has been suggested by MWA is often used when someone is suspected of working  illegally whilst claiming benefits.  The report confirms that this is not one of the main uses of the scheme by Jobcentres, but instead it is used when advisors believe someone is not ‘motivated’ or there is ‘doubt’ about a claimant’s commitment to look for work.

An earlier assessment of MWA had concluded that many claimant’s sign off benefits when referred to workfare.  This study finds this effect is only temporary, concluding that “the benefit impact over the first 21 weeks equates to referred individuals being off benefit for an average of about four days more than if they had not been referred.”It is clear that MWA does not help people find work and nor does it reduce the numbers of people on benefits.  Some claimant’s even reported that the scheme made it more difficult to find work:  “MWA will make it harder for someone to look for a job. It’ll make you more miserable – working for nothing and no time to look for a job.”

Many charities who had previously been only too happy to exploit the amount of free labour available due to MWA had attempted to suggest that that their involvement was intended to support unemployed people into work.  The report reveals the real reason so many charities were quick to sign up to workfare:

“The majority of the hosts described getting involved in MWA to provide staff for their organisations, which in many cases relied on unpaid staff to operate. Indeed several described coming to rely on MWA to provide a steady supply of staff. “

The report also highlights just how early into people’s claims MWA is often used, stating that there is a push to refer claimants onto the scheme when they have been on benefits just 13 weeks.Finally the study makes some concerning recommendations, including extending the length of MWA to eight weeks.  It is also suggested that the ‘community benefit’ stipulation be relaxed, meaning that more claimants would be sent to replace paid jobs in places like Superdrug and Poundland.

Once again workfare isn’t working, so the DWP want more workfare.  But the key part of this report is the desperate shortage of placements. Tony Blair’s New Deal, the first large scale workfare scheme for 18-25 year olds, largely collapsed due to lack of placements.

This isn’t stopping Iain Duncan Smith steaming ahead with ever more plans for forced work.  From the 3rd December sick and disabled claimants can now be mandated to workfare.  The Community Action Programme, which involves six months workfare and is already a disaster, is also to be hugely extended.  Workfare for young people with little work history is now beginning in London.

According to the MWA study, those who weren’t employed in charity shops were largely working for recycling or conservation charities.  The Conservation (so called) Volunteers (@tcvtweets) have been revealed as one of the largest exploiters of unpaid work.  Pressure on these shabby organisations – who are only to happy to undermine genuine volunteering by forcing people to work for free – can only hasten the inevitable demise of forced unpaid work.

The report can be read at: http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/report_abstracts/rr_abstracts/rra_823.asp