Work for dole

[ReallyTired]

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7514513.stm

I think that proposals like these are long over due. Although I think that if you make people work full time for their benefits they won't have time to look for job.

Prehaps they should work three days a week and look for a job two days a week.

There are people who for good reasons cannot work full time, but certainly could do something part time.

[Thisismynewname]

Sorry OMDB, didn't mean that to sound arsey. Meant to add

[foxymolly]

So we should let the people sit on the dole and scrounge because their are fat cats in the world?

Why not say that both issues (scroungers and fat cats) need to be dealt with.

[OverMyDeadBody]

tis ok!

[OverMyDeadBody]

No foxy, we shouldn't just let them sit on the dole and scrounge, but making them 'work' for their money while not tackling the real issues to sort out the problems is just ludicrous, or as effective as continually trying to empty a leaking boat with a bucket instead of just fixing the damn hole in the first place.

[myredcardigan]

But Foxy, this isn't about doing that it's about making the front page of the Daily Mail.

[QueenMeabhOfConnaught]

foxymolly, I'm all in favour of lazy people everywhere being forced off their arses - so let's have a lead from the top, shall we? I'd like MPs to do a bit of time recording to show what the hell they are doing all day (when they aren't on their bloody 10 week holiday).

[FAQ]

"scrubbing grafitti off of walls delivering old peoples shopping, cutting the verges in the street and picking up litter - well doing anything to give them a sense of self worth"

how is forcing someone to do jobs (scrubbing grafitti, cutting the verges, picking up littler) which are frequently given to those doing their community service, and lets face it, aren't particularly "glamorous" jobs - going to give them a sense of "self worth".

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong any minimum wage type jobs (I should know I've done them before), but I doubt you'll find that many people who come home from a long shift, with un-paid breaks, get no extra "benefits" (pension etc) from their work, and only getting the minimum wage who think "WOW I'm amazing look at me".

Yes the probably feel good that they have a job and aren't "scrounging" (god I hate the term) off the state to feed themselves/their families - but for the majority it's simply a means to a end.

It's no bed of roses working in those minimum wage jobs.

[expatinscotland]

oh, yes, the 'welfare to work' scam, just like in the US. the person works for free and the company pays a pittance . . . to the government for doing the government such a huge favour.

let's see, who else's government used to do that? oh, yes, i know, a fascist one in the not to distant past!

[OverMyDeadBody]

yes it's ridiculous, free labour.

[LaDiDaDi]

I just worry that the "jobs" that will be given to the unemployed are jobs that people would have otherwise been paid at least the minimum wage for.

I think that the longterm unemployed should be made to accept any job for which they are qualified for and able-bodied enough to do, with allowances for flexible/part time work made for the parents of children up to the age of 16/18 for children with disabilities. Any refusal to work should be met with sequential benefit cuts. Anyone unable to find a job should be offered re-training at government expense. Refusal to engage in retraining should again lead to sequential benefit cuts.

[FAQ]

"valuable experience for their CV"

the only way I can see the "community service" type jobs being "valuable experience" is if they're looking for a dead end job where they'll still be struggling to make ends meet.

When you end up working full time 6/7 days a week, only to bring in the same (or even less in some circumstances) money than when you were at home on benefits - hardly gives them an incentive to go out and find work does it?

[Nagapie]

It sounds to me like just a wheeze for the govt to be able to get cheap contracting ..

A bit like the lottery funds being used to fund initiatives that should be covered by taxes..

[expatinscotland]

I can't believe anyone is actually falling for this crock of NuLabour/Tory shit.

I really can't.

[foxymolly]

I can't believe people think its ok for people to sit on the dole.
Me and dp work our bums off and have since we left schools, we live next door to a couple who have never worked a day in their life. They can afford sky TV, drive a car and anything that needs repairing the council do it for free. Sometimes we thik we'd be better of living like them
How can anyone justify this behaviour?

If the bloke next door had to do this sort of work or go get a job, I'm sure he would get a job

[FAQ]

me neither expat

Foxy - well when for many people coming off the dole into any old job would mean becoming worse off financially hardly much of an incentive is it?

[Nagapie]

I don't think the aim of 'job for dole' is being questioned - just the methods and questions as to just how workable it is going to be...

[myredcardigan]

It's not the methods I'm questioning, it's the polital motives behind it.

[foxymolly]

Its not just a few people.
Its niave to think that a small number of people live this way.
Where I live its a life choice

[OverMyDeadBody]

foxy it's not exaclt easy to just sit on the 'dole' without even attempting to look for a job, the majority of people are not like your neighbor.

But what insentive is there when minimum wage is so poor that they wouldn't be any better off working?

When houses are so expensive that they couldn't pay the rent if they where working?

[OverMyDeadBody]

but Foxy it's also naive to think it is easy to get out of living that way.

[foxymolly]

FAQ - I agree, its ridiculuos that people can get more sat at home on their arse than at work.