Unemployed used as unpaid staff at Jubilee event and expected to sleep outside

[HRHEightiesChick]

This story about unpaid workers doing the security at the flotilla event yesterday is bad. They were misled about not being paid, and had to sleep out in tents or actually outside 'under London bridge' was suggested to them. This is Workfare in action again, I believe.

They showed a picture on Channel 4 News of the people under the bridge. They were nearly all standing up. I think the report said there were about 160 of them. they interviewed one man with his face pixellated who complained, but they interviewed another man who showed his face and said it was very useful experience asd he was trying to get this certificate.

So claig, if you don't have unique skills, what makes you think you're worth training for another job?

Shall we do a little employability exercise on the horrible chance we were both let go on Friday?

Nothing that will make us identifiable. Just detalls that an employer or HR professional might be able to give a judgement on.

You set the questions. I'm sure someone here would help. If not we could re-post in the relevant careers forum. Again, I'm sure someone will help.

All clams to be set before public opinion. I admit now that I am not a brain surgeon.

BTW I'm not confident of my employment status. I'm just interested. Are you?

'So claig, if you don't have unique skills, what makes you think you're worth training for another job?'

Because I am a human being and all human beings are worth training for jobs.

"Situation Vacant: human being required."

Good luck with that claig

Yes, just like dogs we can all be house trained
Seriously, in the past it was down to companies to recruit suitable candidates and if no one was found with just the right set of skills, they took the best candidate on, trained them and many people were loyal and spent many years with the same company. gaining skills and being promoted. Real experience on the job is second to none but it isn't the business of tax payers to subsidise the profits of business either through open door boarders or paying for mickey mouse certificates.

I agree that taxpayers should not subsidise company profits. But how do you solve the problem of training people in real environments in real companies? Lots of these certificates are mickey mouse, but some are essential or people can't work in that industry.

Shouldn't you be working on your application form claig?

Sometimes the "qualifications" on offer are insulting and totally unnecessary. The Government are responsible for encouraging this. No wonder companies are hesitant to employ and staff are equally put off from applying for work.

Care agencies now insist on care staff having a ridiculous amount of mickey mouse training certificates. In order to register with an agency, the unemployed person is expected to pay upfront for 3-10 courses and pay for their own CRB. Some of these courses are now run in-house by agencies but provided on-line, it is hardly worth the paper it is written on. No wonder we have so few carers, those we do have are poorly trained and supervised and no wonder we have so many unemployed people.

I agree with you Mini. Is this the work of New Labour or was it like that before them?

I saw a report on this on Channel 4 news early this evening and its going to be covered on Newsnight which has just started.

Thank you carer, off to newsnight

They said someone from the security company is going to give their side of the story. Cant wait to hear how they are going to justify this.

lmited - I hope you do complain, especially about Showsec. Seems extremely dangerous to have the sort of people you've described responsible for the safety of large crowds - either bewildered and incompetent or aggressive (or all three at once). Let alone the whole issue about fleecing the taxpayer and exploiting the unemployed.

sorry got that wrong. its the woman from Tommorrows People. She said shes asked for feedback from the unemployed people placed with them. She said the feedback from them was positive.

Jesus wept, its not going to be negative is it? They are hardly going to tell her a few home truths when she has the power to instigate a benefit sanction by reporting them to the DWP for non co-operation. THIS STINKS

edam it's on my to-do list.

It's 30 out of 32. Been lazy but I do love an officious letter, properly addressed and CCd to my MP (Tory). He must be thrilled to receive them because he always replies and has twice intervened in my gripes about the iniquities of the DWP work programme.

Keep it up Mark and I might vote for you

i know plenty of people who have a SIA license and work in security, they do a 2- 6 week course, followed by CRB with no work expericence.

They have just been talking about this on sky news. Apparently there are volunteer workers involved that have spoken to the press about the great time they had being part of the jubilee. Most of the volunteers were happy with the arrangement, especially as they were allowed to keep the boots and clothes they wore.

Unimpeachable source, Sky News.

Glad that clears that up then.

Also glad that I don't have to be grateful for being allowed to keep a logo'd polo shirt.

I wonder what possible reason

Whats the betting they DO use workfare at the Olympics (if not this company then another one will) and the participants/claimants will probably be told that if they approach the press or post anything negative on social media sites then that will result in loss of benefits.
They had one of the workfare stewards on Channel 4 news and they disguised him in silouette so they know that this could happen.

Given that the CEO of this company is on something like her 7th incarnation at Company House, I daresay she'll be available to provide Dave Slaves.

Probably not the same people as shivered under London Bridge last weekend, though. They'll presumably all have qualifications now. She'd have to pay them.

Oh dear, oh dear. The spin begins to unravel. Now we know why senior New Labour people didn't get involved, and why it was Lord Prescott who was making the running. Wouldn't it be interesting to ask Lord Prescott to appear on Newsnight together with 3 of the people on the scheme?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2155650/Labour-camp-No-just-great-time-Lord-Prezza-Jobless-Jubilee-stewards-dismiss-exploitation-claims.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

It seems that the portable loos slipped Lord Prescott's mind. Maybe all that shouting and blustering meant he couldn't listen.

'They gave us boots worth £80, and a uniform. We worked out that what they?ve spent is the equivalent of us being paid £45 an hour.'

And Lord Prescott mentioned "not fit for purpose". A hard working company that provides work and a chance to get a certificate that allows people to progress.

Claig, don't make the mistake of thinking spin is confined to one political party. The Guardian were criticised for not providing names of the complainants yet the Mail (whose standards of 'journalism' are so low they print press releases direct from PR agents. Stands to reason they'd print PR guff from the govt just as easily) can only provide one person who will go on record out of 220.

Let's not forget this is a company providing people with a 'certificate' that allows people to work in stewarding. A low pay, seasonal and temporary job. If Work Fare is supposed to reduce unemployment how is helping people to work in seasonal, temporary work going to do that long term?

I think "the spin" had "unravelled" from the very words published by the Guardian. All that was 'wrong' here was that the bus company (possibly fearing the widely-warned traffic disruption?) delivered workers somewhere between 1-2 hours early.

One newspaper turned this into 'expected to sleep outside' (clearly not), so it is hard to rely on such an inaccurate account.