To agree with workfare in principal?

[IAmMiranda]

Donning my flame retardant underwear - though note I'm not for the current scheme, but the principal is sensible.

Working for unemployment benefits makes sense to me - provided that the "wage" is fair for the hours and skills. Eg. £90 a week job sellers could equal 15 hours of charity work?

Taking into account disabilities, childcare and other responsibilities I really don't think its unfair to provide people with jobs to earn the equivalent of benefits?

I do think its wrong to line the pockets of corporations, reduce jobs for other workers etc but surely charity work is an option?

I think I've probably missed some huge glaring point but AIBU?

(NOTE: I have previously been in reciept of JSA and would happily have done 15 hours a week and had plenty of time to job search)

But I would have no objection to them taking on this people for part time work say over the weekends or late and early starts and

Really? and how are they going to get home after late or very early periods Mrsdavidcaruso. Busses dont run 24/7 in every area all the time and JSA is hardly enough to pay for taxis.

So they could end up walking home in the dark alone.

IF there is ANY work to be done PEOPLE SHOULD BE PAID A WAGE.

How would you like it if you had to do workfare for your Child Benefit.

Tabby1963Sun 29-Sep-13 12:20:33

I think that there are some merits to a Workfare job:-

1. The actual routine of getting up and going to work on a daily basis will stave off that awful 'staying in pj's until lunchtime watching Jeremy Kyle (depressing in it's own right) type programmes, then staying up until 3am because your sleep pattern is skewed.

My sleep pattern was skewed because i used to work nights from 5pm to 3am.

Not all jobs are 9am to 5pm.

I agree but the work would need to be public work in some form so there would be no profit.

Oh gosh darksteyes no sorry, I meant people who have existing child care responsibilities or already run the odd errand for an elderly neighbour/relative, not anyone who is an official designated full time carer.

Fair enough but that wont work either mrs cog. I found out about a local charity last Friday that i didnt even know existed.
Its kind of a drop in centre for 11 to 19 year olds.
We are already seeing a resurgence of what was happening in the 80s due to parents having to work long or haphazard hours or having to drop everything at a moments notice due to being on zero hours contracts.
Anyone remember the terminology "latchkey kids" Well its back.

There will be more long term unemployed because they are unable to get jobs due to companies getting workfarers for free.
And then those long term unemployed will end up on workfare Then more will be made redundant because of companies being able to get free workers. be unable to find work because of companies being able to get free workers and then they become long term unemployed and become subjected to this.

Yep, I think that is the current government's plan darkesteyes.
Grind the population right down so they know their place, and get them to squabble amongst themselves over crumbs,and argue over who really deserves a survival payment (just to destroy the last remnants of any kind of national unity.)
Clever innit.

And bloody despicable

OP I agree with you completely. It's not unreasonable to expect people to work for their money. They can pick up litter, if nothing else! I don't care what they do but sitting in front of the TV shouldn't be an option.

People who object to workfare: do you object if it is, for example, collecting litter that would otherwise not be collected, for those who have been on JSA for more than say, two years?

Yabu im actually on jsa atmo and wouldnt have a prob doing 11 hours a week if its somewhere thats appropriate ( not saying im too good to work in poundland at all i just cant stand up for hours due to mobility probs)

Meant to be yanbu!

How is Poundland the recipient of all this bounty?

I would agree with 10 hours a month of community work. But for everyone, not just those on JSA.

Crowler I think that we should offer a wage for it to be done. Maybe just temp pay, but give someone the chance to find our what earning an honest days pay for work is like.

If its that unskilled the job centre could even pick the v long term unemployed to do it.

I'm not particularly against people doing something for their money, however, I love in a place where there are many many unemployable unemployed, and I wouldn't wish them on anyone. Some people would need intensive management due to multiple issues, sometimes I am glad some if our neighbours are just getting benefits and staying at home, at least they are not being on drugs and stealing.
This is a characteristic of people in my neighbourhood, and I am not suggesting all jsa claimants are like this, indeed I have claimed myself in the past.

Not everyone is an inexperienced person. I'm a redundant senior manager,, fuck doing someones filing.

Workfare is a bit like Communism.

There's a hint of a good idea in there somewhere but zero possibility that it could sensibly be applied by real human beings to real human beings in the real world.

YANBU _ in principle

But the problem with the workfare scheme is that effectively big companies are getting free labour.

It should be redesigned so that the money that companies are being paid for workfare is spent on providing people with relevant training and experience not just doing menial tasks that they don't want to pay people for.
e.g a supermarket could train people in customer service skills, food hygiene, use of a till etc etc - workig alongside an experienced member of staff and a record of proven skills AND people could be matched based on previous experience and any skills which will actually be useful to them on a CV / job application.

*Workfare is a bit like Communism.

There's a hint of a good idea in there somewhere but zero possibility that it could sensibly be applied by real human beings to real human beings in the real world.*

I think this hits the nail on the head. I recognise that the government being what it is (money grabbing bastard pit) nothing reasonable (like a fair workfare system) can be organised.

boycott workfare blog

We already have people forced to do community service, and that's not decreasing the amount of jobs

And it hardly matters whether you agree with the ethos of picking up dog poo and scrubbing graffiti. Just do it or lose your benefits.

Only for people on jsa long term though, but could also be for people who can't find a job to fit in with school hours etc.

Btw, I'm in no way comparing benefit claimants to criminals!

Iliketea

Perhaps it should only be for council type stuff that is not getting done otherwise

Its not workfare in NI but I do agree with the OP.

I did voluntary work and courses and in Jan a First Start post came up with I begged to go for..had to be on benefits for 24 weeks I had 23 when I wanted to apply.

I got it and it was great. Happened to be working for a company running the schemes and I saw many different people those made to be on and voluntary and those who got jobs and those who didn't.

Anyway I was being paid nmw for 6 months. 80% of the wage paid for by the government and 20% by the company.

I loved it and due to it built up experience to get my current job and more opportunities and realise what jobI do want.

It was great for me and can work for people.