On #ESDay16, read real people’s testimonies about workfare
Tescos: “Why would we pay you when we can pick up the phone and get more unemployed people who have to work for free?”
The following account was posted in the comments section of the Guardian website:
I personally know a fifty-six year old man who worked at Tesco for 40 hrs a week for 6 weeks for no pay. He said he was given the worst job, constantly filling freezers in the hope he would be taken on. After the 6 weeks were up the manager asked him if he would like to stay on for some extra weeks, my friend asked “with pay”? The manager said why would he pay him when he can pick the phone up and get more unemployed people who have to work for nothing of face sanctions meaning loss of ALL benefits for up to three years!
My friend wasn’t alone, he was part of twelve extra staff taken on to cover the xmas rush, no one was given a job at the end of the xmas period.
He told me they had all worked really hard and were gutted they were abused in such a way. The worst was one day he had to throw out lots of food one day over the use by date. He asked the manager if he could take some home as he was having to eat more due to being active all day. The manager refused saying if he gave him free food he wouldn’t come through the front door and buy it!
I swear I will never shop at Tesco ever again.
Asda sending paid staff home
Read one young person’s account of workfare at Asda over Christmas 2011 here.
Poundland exploitation
“Poundland takes on disabled people in a deal with Dwp via mickey mouse scheme. The claimant only works for 4 weeks including anti-social hours, stacking . The claimant is told at the beginning me the placement that there will be no job. My friend finished his placement and was immediately replaced at another disabled person. This is exploitation. ”
Source: Boycott Workfare » People’s stories
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jobs hay stacking shelves for those charity pimps or workless companies hiding away the real figures of the unemployed and sick
I understand that this is related to what IDS was being hammered on by James Obrien at LBC, IDS was trying to justify it by saying that they DO get paid JSA, so they ARE being paid.
To which the response is, why should the taxpayer subsidise the company by paying – and paying less than if the company were to actually employ the claimant and take them off the books?
Disgraceful where will it end?
I cannot understand why this is legal since the minimum wage is £7.20 per hour and JSA where I live is I think £72.00 per week. Even if we take into account the HB of say £90 per week for a one bed roof over their heads that’s still only 23 hours a week with enhancements for working unsocial hours. This is slave Labour and utter contempt from a government that has failed to provide jobs, apprenticeships, further education etc. This must fall under the discrimination category on a massive social scale.
The chap mentioned above was working for less than £5.20 per hour even if you take into account the community tax rebate. It makes a mockery of the so-called minimum wage.
I shall boycott Tesco’s and any other shops who treat human beings in this way.