Poundland Girl Wins Forced Labour Ruling

[spankingtexan]

Boycott workfare update....
The Week of Action Against Workfare is coming up on 18-24 March and you may be wondering what you can do in your town or city. There’ll be lots more online action during the week, but if you want to take to the streets, this report of a two-person action in Newcastle shows you don’t need loads of people to have an impact!

Visit the website for up to date information.

 

[Rroff]

I've just read last page and I can't believe what I'm reading. This country will never, ever function normally again if young people think like most of you up there.

Since when did this country ever function normally? most of the percieved normality has been underpinned with lies.

 

[mmj_uk]

Why do we let the poor breed? Doesn't that just make...... more poor people?

No, the people at the top wanting more money for themselves does.

Unemployment would be a fraction of what it is now if governments didn't have an open door immigration policy (to drive wages down) and if most companies hadn't shipped their jobs overseas to the likes of China, India etc where labour is dirt cheap.

The way things are going the 'poor' in this country will be the whole of the working class in a couple of decades time, what will you say then to being told you or your family can't breed?

 

[spankingtexan]

Why do we let the poor breed? Doesn't that just make...... more poor people?

Disgraceful comment, are you serious?

 

[spankingtexan]

DWP upset about workfare withdrawals, LOL!!!!

It seems that the DWP is upset that charities keep pulling out of its forced work schemes. So upset that it has decided to lie to the Guardian about the campaign against workfare. Its spokesperson said:


“It is deeply regrettable that a small number of people have targeted charities and subjected them to intimidation and abuse in an effort to disrupt the operation of this scheme. In so doing they deny many people the opportunities and help they need to get back into work.

“We’re grateful for the continued support of charities in helping unemployed people re-engage with the system and move closer to employment through Mandatory Work Activity.”

The Boycott Workfare campaign has issued a short response:


“It is deeply encouraging that a large number of people have contacted charities and made the perfectly reasonable request that they withdraw from this scheme which does not help people into employment. In so doing they have denied the DWP the opportunity to intimidate and abuse claimants through workfare and sanctions.

“We’re grateful to those charities who have left the scheme for helping unemployed and disabled people to avoid forced unpaid work and the withdrawal of benefits.”

Keep up the good work people! In the last fortnight four charities have withdrawn from workfare, and even before that the government was complaining “The high profile withdrawal of placements from a number of larger charities meant a sharp reduction in placements.” Let’s make the week of action on 18-24 March count!

 

[hurfdurf]

Keep up the good work people! In the last fortnight four charities have withdrawn from workfare, and even before that the government was complaining “The high profile withdrawal of placements from a number of larger charities meant a sharp reduction in placements.” Let’s make the week of action on 18-24 March count!

Are we talking action as in, physical disruption and protest inside the retail arms of the people using slave labour, or is this the peaceful kind of action?

 

[spankingtexan]

Are we talking action as in, physical disruption and protest inside the retail arms of the people using slave labour, or is this the peaceful kind of action?

The latter, although I can't control heavy handed Police tactics and abuse from those who come along bent on causing trouble, I'm sure there could well be IDS thugs about inciting disruptive behaviour in an attempt to discredit a peaceful protest.

I beleive some protesters have entered the slave labour camps in past protests, if those slave traders don't want protesters outside or on their premises then they should immediately pull out of the modern day slave labour trade, Simples.

Don't forget, if you can't get on the streets there will be online protests too, check the Boycott workfare website for more information.

 

[estebanrey]

if those slave traders don't want protesters outside or on their premises then they should immediately pull out of the modern day slave labour trade, Simples.

See this is where you don't help your cause.

Likening workfare to slavery, in my opinion, is disgusting and spits on the memories of the millions of people who, over the centuries, have been kidnapped, taken from their homes/ villages and forced by threat of death to work 20 hour days of hard labour of squalid conditions for their racist masters.

I don't think workfare is well thought out, I would scrap it in a heart beat but when I hear people like you keep using the word 'slavery' it really makes my blood boil.

 

[TheLegendOfMart]

See this is where you don't help your cause.

Likening workfare to slavery, in my opinion, is disgusting and spits on the memories of the millions of people who, over the centuries, have been kidnapped, taken from their homes/ villages and forced by threat of death to work 20 hour days of hard labour of squalid conditions for their racist masters.

I don't think workfare is well thought out, I would scrap it in a heart beat but when I hear people like you keep using the word 'slavery' it really makes my blood boil.

Sick of this mentality, so you arent allowed to liken something to something else just in case it makes someone a bit upset?

Are you or have you been a slave? If not why are you so outraged at someone using the term?

Just like people who don't like it when homophobia is likened to racism, for some reason being black and being spat at, called names, beat up, murdered is different from being gay and being spat at, called names, beat up, murdered. Woe betide anyone who tries to make any kind of connection.

 

[spankingtexan]

See this is where you don't help your cause.

Likening workfare to slavery, in my opinion, is disgusting and spits on the memories of the millions of people who, over the centuries, have been kidnapped, taken from their homes/ villages and forced by threat of death to work 20 hour days of hard labour of squalid conditions for their racist masters.

I don't think workfare is well thought out, I would scrap it in a heart beat but when I hear people like you keep using the word 'slavery' it really makes my blood boil.

Thanks for the history lesson, but not really needed, i'm aware of the horrors of slaves past and indeed modern day slavery is not as harsh but i'm afraid it is slave labour. It makes my blood boil that the unemployed, sick and the disabled are being treated in the appaling manner in which this Government and some individuals think is acceptable.
It'a a backward step and must be STOPPED.

 

[DampDog]

Thanks for the history lesson, but not really needed, i'm aware of the horrors of slaves past and indeed modern day slavery is not as harsh but i'm afraid it is slave labour. It makes my blood boil that the unemployed, sick and the disabled are being treated in the appaling manner in which this Government and some individuals think is acceptable.
It'a a backward step and must be STOPPED.

Please don't take this the wrong way, as I broadly agree with many of your sentiments and willingness to stand up and be counted.

But "Slavery" is the wrong word. Slaves were and are bought and traded as if simply were simply goods, being forced to work for nothing in return. Often they were beaten to death, abused or both.

Now while I agree, the whole "Workfare" scheme is pretty disgusting policy in the way it treats folk. Especially as the Conservatives have always advocated "a fair days work, for a fair days pay" and an open market. Having a scheme where people work for more hours than they are actually paid for smacks of hypocrisy. But I still wouldn't call it slave labour. I think in doing so you would lose support from some.

It's not so much about "Slavery" as a system that is so politically motivated and is prepared to bully people into doing something that simply doesn't work, simply because it's one of their policies and they have to be seen to be doing something "different". They keep using the word volunteering which it obviously isn't. It's unpaid labour, even forced labour, which is just wrong.

It has nothing to do with getting people back into work, IDS said it all “The short, sharp shock is usually enough to get the work-shy back into employment so the plan is to extend the practice, not retreat in the wake of this odd court decision.”

Work placements if targeted, to people skills and needs are a good way to gain experience. Simply chucking anyone in the system into any position that happens to pop up is idiotic. With luck, enough companies will be shamed into withdrawing from the scheme that it will collapse. We'll see just what spin they put on that.

 

[shoes]

Disgraceful comment, are you serious?

Is it not fact that if poor people have a child that they have simple made more poor people?

 

[shoes]

No, the people at the top wanting more money for themselves does.

Unemployment would be a fraction of what it is now if governments didn't have an open door immigration policy (to drive wages down) and if most companies hadn't shipped their jobs overseas to the likes of China, India etc where labour is dirt cheap.

I don't disagree with you there, however, you didn't really answer my question; if two poor people, particularly if they rely on state hand outs have a child is it not the case that they have made more poor people? I fail to see how a normal human being can see this as an acceptable way to behave, I think I'm (sadly) a minority with this school of thought.

The way things are going the 'poor' in this country will be the whole of the working class in a couple of decades time, what will you say then to being told you or your family can't breed?

I'd be over the moon tbh, I have no desire to have kids. In fact I'm hoping that when the inevitable trying for a child nonsense starts in a couple of years it turns out one of us is infertile.

Regardless, I don't see why I should have to contribute to raising someone else's child when they had it with absolutely no means of supporting themselves entirely, let alone their child.

 

[joebingo]

I've just read last page and I can't believe what I'm reading. This country will never, ever function normally again if young people think like most of you up there.

Do you remember when not being strapped with debt from the cost of living at university (because course fees etc were paid by the government as a grant) was the norm, or when graduates were guaranteed well paid jobs?

Why should corporations posting higher profits year on year be allowed to exploit the young/unlucky?

 

[estebanrey]

Sick of this mentality, so you arent allowed to liken something to something else just in case it makes someone a bit upset?

He's not liken to it though is he, he is saying it IS slavery.

Thanks for the history lesson, but not really needed, i'm aware of the horrors of slaves past and indeed modern day slavery is not as harsh but i'm afraid it is slave labour.

Not it's not. At what point does the legal ownership of Job Seekers pass to Poundland? It doesn't because slavery and the owning of people was outlawed 300 years ago.

 

[shoes]

Thanks for the history lesson, but not really needed, i'm aware of the horrors of slaves past and indeed modern day slavery is not as harsh but i'm afraid it is slave labour. It makes my blood boil that the unemployed, sick and the disabled are being treated in the appaling manner in which this Government and some individuals think is acceptable.
It'a a backward step and must be STOPPED.

Slavery; forced to work under threat of physical or mental punishment for disobedience.

Workfare; here is some free money, but seeing as you cannot be trusted to even get a job at McDonalds yourself, we're going to at least make some use of your in return for the taxpayer's money which you are being given week after week.

 

['Harry]

Is it not fact that if poor people have a child that they have simple made more poor people?

So you'd rather we adopt China's approach to reproduction?

 

[shoes]

So you'd rather we adopt China's approach to reproduction?

Either you don't understand my point or you don't understand China's approach to child birth.

 

[GAC]

Workfare; here is some free money, but seeing as you cannot be trusted to even get a job at McDonalds yourself, we're going to at least make some use of your in return for the taxpayer's money which you are being given week after week.

yes because mcdonalds have thousands of places up for grabs.

as for given money week after week and being made to work for it, many jobseeker's like myself would work for it, as long as it was MIN WAGE and not what they are doing at the moment, encouraging (tricking/forcing) people to work for 4 weeks for large company's who refuse to hire anyone when they get free labor.

 

[Rroff]

Slavery; forced to work under threat of physical or mental punishment for disobedience.

Workfare; here is some free money, but seeing as you cannot be trusted to even get a job at McDonalds yourself, we're going to at least make some use of your in return for the taxpayer's money which you are being given week after week.

Thats not how it works tho and you know it. They are using the veiled threat of losing benefits which potentially is as forceful as slavery if people can see no other way out - and don't start rubbish about "how they should get a job then" as its far too situational to be that black and white.