Tories to announce full workfare next week.

[Darkesteyes]

According to the Mail This just popped up in my Twitter feed.

twitter.com/SkyNews/status/383342225926524928/photo/1

Thinking about it, why is it even relevant whether people posting on this thread are claiming benefits or not. Surely, even if we all were, we would still have the right to discuss and criticise something we disagreed with. Or is it now the case that the unemployed are not allowed to air grievances? They should just doff their caps and suck it up.

There are people doing workfare at Tesco who are considerably more qualified and experienced than Tesco CEO Terry Leahy was when he first worked - and was paid - stacking shelves at Tesco as a summer job.

I can't believe that in the current economic climate, anyone can imagine the only people on JobSeekers Allowance are those who are almost unemployable or have no experience.

nah,not stereotyped anyone.....its what I heard and saw at the jobcentre.....did say there are different types of claimants. saw it myself...didn't just read about it in the DM

funny how I got a job offer once I had something recent to put on my own cv....straightaway in fact. been there myself billy....I got something from it. did unpaid work that i'm unqualified to do and BINGO!

Hence the Cate Reilly lawsuit. She was a graduate doing voluntary work relevant to her career, which she had to drop to do workfare at Poundland.

Was your unpaid work workfare, HSS? If so, can I ask what it was?

Yes, the long term unemployed should be encouraged to work, BUT

THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH JOBS AVAILABLE.

That's a nonsense argument. There will always be a number of unemployed in any labour market as people are in/out work for many reasons.

As more people enter work, this stimulates demand and more jobs are created.

Furthermore just because there isn't a 1:1 jobseeker:job ratio doesn't preclude the fact the person should be looking hard for work.

You will never ever get a market with x number of available jobs and x number of workers available. It's simplistic and naive.

mirry- don't be such a patronising arse. What are you talking about- I don't have a 'political agenda', I'm just sick of people being exploited and treated like animals by a government that it purely self serving. A government that got in on a technicality. I care about people and how they are treated. Sorry if that offends you, let's hope that if you are ever in a position where you need sympathy and help that you come across people like me eh?

What about those people who do have something to put on their cv? In fact, they have very long and comprehensive cvs, but due to age, infirmity, or simply a lack of available jobs aren't able to find anything.

I know someone who was made redundant from a professional, managerial role in his late 50s after working continuously since he left school. He's being sent to stack shelves on workfare, even though the person he sees at the job centre admits it won't improve his prospects one iota. Quiet the opposite.

Yes, you're half right Mirry. Detail all your applications (that they can't check, but they do want you to primarily use the .gov site and give them access so they can) and they will probably just glance at it. Write down that you only looked at websites/ phoned employers and they are now deeming this not enough.

I am currently not working. Between children and MH issues I've not worked for years. Despite this, I'm not totally against workfare. I just think there ought to be a better system. I also have no decent work references, so I'm volunteering in an effort to boost my CV (on top of the courses I've done). I'm still getting nowhere. Though I do live in one of the most deprived cities in the UK. There is a huge unemployment rate around here.

And HeySoulSister, I know exactly the sort of claimant you mean. We're not all sat around sipping special brew and smoking weed outside the job centre at 10am, but there are some that do.

I know a few young people who were desperate for jobs who have done workfare at Poundland in the hope they will get a job at the end of it.

They take very few on after workfare and even if they do take you on,you are lucky to get anything other than an 8 hour contract.

everyone on JSA needs to take any job,apply for as many as possible,not sit around waiting for one in their 'field' to crop up.....so what if they have degrees/experience. I nnoticed quite a few people saying that they would hold out til they found something they had done before

no,my work was voluntary....didn't want to do it,but workfare talk was being bandied around,so I took the voluntary option before it got to that stage. now ive got a job,started this week,and still keeping my voluntary work on (a disability charity) cos I like my client and his family and I can see I make a difference to them. did intend to leave,but I cant.

That's a nonsense argument.

So, 'nice'guy, can you explain why they are doing this in a jobs market that shows just over 400000 vacancies being chased by 2.65 million JSA claimants, not to mention around 7 or 8 million underemployed people.

How, other than lining the pockets of scumbags like A4E, other workfare providers and the corporations is this going to help? And no, workfare is proven to not help get unemployed people into work. In fact, it's worse than if nothing is done. Proof is easy to find.

That doesn't answer the question I posed. What about people who because of their age or health status are very unlikely to find work when they are competing against younger, able bodied people?

The man I mentioned above has applied for any job he is capable of doing, not just those in his field, but at 59 no one wants to employ him. 30 hours a week of free shelf stacking is not going to change that.

That last post was to Hey, not Nicholas btw

Baldricks I think it was something you said ie "Tory fatcats -bringing our country to its knees-Tory bastards OUT"

It reminded me of some of the fanatics who were on the demonstrations I took part in many years ago when I was young and naive

Why would poundland bother taking on employees when they can get the work done for free, usual?

mirry- please give me an example of how the Tories are not bringing the country to its knees, really I'm fascinated. As yes, anyone with any sense will vote them out. It's not fanatical, it's just the truth.

saskia that's rubbish,B&Q for example employ older people

everyone on JSA needs to take any job,apply for as many as possible,not sit around waiting for one in their 'field' to crop up.....so what if they have degrees/experience. I nnoticed quite a few people saying that they would hold out til they found something they had done before

Hey when someone has spent 3-4 years doing a degree in a specific area or have been working in particular role for year y on on earth should they not have a choice in what job they want to do! everyone has a right to find a suitable job. working in a job that u don't like just means hassle for u & ur employer as u would not be putting in 100%.

Poundland have a steady stream of unpaid labour,tethers.

It makes me so angry.

And if you don't do the 6 weeks of 30 hours a week for £53 jsa.

You get sanctioned.

Baldricks You can rant all you like about the tories but I'm never going to enter into a political discussion about them. It would be pointless and you would just get hot under the collar.

Oh agreed, HSS, having a degree is not a reason to never do low-skilled jobs.

My point is it's absolutely not the case that poor old Tesco, etc, are just giving charitable assistance to people who need the experience to learn how to get up in the morning or put their clothes on.

Many people on workfare there are the same people who would have been in work there, before this scheme started.

Exactly, usual. Workfare makes employers less likely to employ people. Madness.

DumDum no,because they take any job offer to get off the benefits,THEN they can continue the search for the perfect job to suit them at the same time.