Comments on: All work and no pay – the rise of workfare

By: Adrian

Adrian — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:33:38 +0000

B&M stores have strated using workfare jan/2013. Receiving free labour and stopping overtime for employees with contracts. The people forced to do this free labour are not happy and neither are the employees!

By: mark

mark — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 09:57:51 +0000

Paul c. work in mcdonalds serving “food” that slowly kills people?

By: neil

neil — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:12:17 +0000

What amazes me are where are all the protests > not a banner or article on news or papers years ago there would be riots in the streets people protesting outside downing street , etc now not even a murmour , very little organised protest on the net except a few splintered groups , Im due to start this in theory in feb , unless I sign off jsa and can get a job , but then they have won! although Id prefer not to be a slave, Cameron and co aka his victorian counterpart Mr bumble (oliver) would have victorian workhouses back ! One things for sure He wouldnt do it so why should we??

By: Paul C

Paul C — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:01:45 +0000

Until the minimum wage is completely abolished people like this are going to be priced out of the market. Fix the minimum wage and you’ve a chance of helping these people to help themselves.

Alternatively this chap could take a bus to London and get a job in McDonalds tomorrow.

Paul

By: redditor

redditor — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:12:16 +0000

There’s some more discussion on Reddit here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/ukpolitics/comments/ogpo0/all_work_and_no_pay_the_rise_of_workfare/

By: peter schevtschenko

peter schevtschenko — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:00:23 +0000

article 4 of the human rights act prohibits forced labour,surely workfare breaches such an act?
i am prepared to use the h.r.a. if told to go on compulsory labour

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:13:05 +0000

Cool dude, let’s go back to slavery. Then sit back and be amazed and disgusted when more people turn to drug dealing and other crime just to eat. Nice job, society.

By: Paul Stanway

Paul Stanway — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:29:07 +0000

Charley,

Can you possibly be more specific about invoicing as self-employed by sending a web link or something? Because if you can invoice the company you’re working for that’s pretty good advice to anybody placed on these work schemes and I’m sure we’d all like to know the specifics.

Thanks.

By: mkmky

mkmky — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:52:05 +0000

Assigned to the JobFit programme today,finally able to get the training i have been promised,JCP had explained that the funding for the course that i was supposed to go on had been redirected to this new programme. Went to the induction,training was restricted to £50.00 per person over 2 years..huh?. Second meeting asked what work placements are available? other than Poundland none.Luckily i had found a work placement and gave them the contact details…I was told great but i could not take it because they would not be set up for at least 6 months…confused,god knows i am.

By: Tobanem

Tobanem — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:51:28 +0000

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines “Forced or Compulsory Labour” as follows:

“All work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself/herself voluntarily.

Good definition!

Section 71 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009, and its counterpart in Scots Law, Section 47 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland)Act 2010, both outlaw forced or compulsory labour.

If the present Work Experience Scheme, the Mandatory Work Activity Scheme, and the forthcoming Community Action Programme are not forced or compulsory labour, what in fact are they then?

These Workfare schemes have been compared with community sentences handed out to convicted criminals, but even the ILO says convicted criminals should only be doing forced or compulsory labour “provided that the said work or service is carried out under the supervision and control of a PUBLIC authority and that the said person (criminal) is not hired to or placed a the disposal of PRIVATE individuals, companies or associations”.

The recent UK legislation will prove to be a paper tiger if it cannot be used to defend railroaded victims conscripted onto these Workfare schemes to work for wealthy private companies without wages.

It will not do to class these schemes as “training” – or anything else!