Tory scum make lying, insulting and patronising response to workfare petition

[ttosca]

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29356

It's just unbelievable. Who do they think they're talking to?

[ttosca]

emin-

People who work - as in 'work' don't get a choice either - we do our job or don't get our salaries. I think maybe things could be rephrased - ok working in Tescos may not be 'aiding the community' in some ways, but surely anything is better than doing nothing? I run a volunteer centre and we are so busy with all sorts of people desperate to do something with their time - and it is only going to get worse

Looking for a job is a full-time job. If you're spending the day volunteering then you're spending less time looking for paid work. Secondly, as I pointed out, JSA isn't charity, it's social security. The majority of claimants have already paid in for their JSA in the form of income and other taxes.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Costs money to take someone on for a few weeks. They need to be shown the ropes so they're not as efficient as regular staff, plus they take up some supervision time. I think any company offering places in spite of all the bile they get from people like the OP should be applauded.

[usualsuspect]

They get paid to take them on.

[ttosca]

I'm glad this has opened a discussion about MWA, but I'm honestly surprised that some people - whatever their opinions on MWA - aren't quite getting the fact that the response contains outright lies.

[ttosca]

They get paid to take them on.

That's right. The govt. pays companies and charities to take on MWA placements. Charities get free labour. The govt. gets to massage it's unemployment figures.

Guess who loses? The public.

[usualsuspect]

There's a lot of money to be made from unemployed people.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Trouble is ttosca, the coalition could tell us it was Tuesday and you'd accuse them of being 'lying tory scum'.... so a few of us take your copy-paste diatribes with a chunk or two of salt. You're familiar with the 'boy who cried wolf'?

[BeanJuice]

cogito

the amount of times I have heard conservatives described as 'scum' on here is hilarious

I have had labour sympathies in the past but reading some of the ridiculous things people write on mn actually makes me feel a bit more conservative

[ttosca]

Trouble is ttosca, the coalition could tell us it was Tuesday and you'd accuse them of being 'lying tory scum'.... so a few of us take your copy-paste diatribes with a chunk or two of salt. You're familiar with the 'boy who cried wolf'?

That's not an argument.

Do you understand where they lied now? Or is it you who is unreasonable?

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

I'm always utterly reasonable. And I think you're splitting hairs.... You'll want to wash that blood pressure medication down with plenty of water btw. Not good for you to get so worked up.

[usualsuspect]

Are you happy that there were hardly any christmas temp jobs this year? because shops that traditionally employed xmas temps used MWA placements instead.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

It isn't an argument, but it is a reason why a lot of people won't take what you post seriously.

You should tone the hysteria down a notch or two.

[ttosca]

I'm splitting hairs because I call the 'Mandatory Work Activity' programme, in which claimaints have no choice but to partake or lose their benefits mandatory, as opposed to the govt., which calls a mandatory programme 'voluntary'?

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

usual - who says that there were hardly any temp jobs? There were loads here, all the big supermarkets plus warehouses hired people to pack increased orders.

[specialsubject]

OP, if you feel so strongly about it, start campaigning for more people to sign and then if enough agree with you, it will get debated in parliament. Top tip though; the word 'scum' does not give the impression of reasoned argument.

We live in a democracy and that is wonderful.

[tabulahrasa]

The mandatory work activity scheme isn't the only workfare type scheme, there are at least 2 others that I know of, but the answer doesn't mention them.

It also doesn't mention that as well as JSA claimants, some ESA claimants are put on the mandatory work activity scheme - terminal cancer patients are one category of ESA claimants expected to be put on the scheme.


Aiding the community is a downright lie, pound land and tesco were two of the companies that were involved, Argos and b&q still are... Most of the companies involved are big retailers.

So no, it's not exactly a fantastic answer.

[usualsuspect]

Well, I know for a fact, Poundland used MWA placements as did Tesco instead of employing Christmas temps.

[RooneyMara]

Why are people so snide and personal on the politics threads? It puts normal people with no particular agenda off completely. It's like watching bloody PMQ

[ttosca]

It's amazing that 'temperate' and 'moderate' language are more important than the issues involved here.

I make no apologies for calling the Tories 'scum', as anyone who purposely and visciously attacks the disabled, the poorest and even cancer patients absolute deserves to be called that.

Hundreds of disabled people have died after having their disability allowance taken away from them or undergoing repeated farcical Atos assessments.

It's all a bit abstract - like children dying in Africa - until you actually encounter a family or someone who's life has been devastated by the nasty Tory attacks on the most vulnerable.

Maybe some day you or some one you care about will be affected, and them maybe you'll start to take the issue seriously.

[nailak]

i dont understand one thing, when my husband was on JSA i was allowed to study without it effecting our benefits, but if he wanted to do some sort of mcse course or something to keep his skills up to date they would stop his benefits, he also found himself a placement in company in the field he was looking to go in to and he wasnt allowed to do it as it meant that he wasnt free for work or something, but they can make you work in tescos and charity shops to increase your chances of employment?

[PictureMeInThese]

Mmm nailak that does make them seem very disingenuous doesn't it?
The majority of reponses on this thread has demonstred how well the tory propaganda is working and how few people know what they are really doing.

[lastSplash]

Totally agree with you ttosca. Will pass on the petition for others to sign. Appalling government response - unfortunately they feel they can get away with it because people are misinformed and taken in by benefit-bashing.

[nailak]

luckily he knew his workfare advisor through a previous job he had, the man used to attend the place where he worked regularly, so he didnt actually do workfare, he used to go to the interviews and the guy used to just say i cant be bothered to waste your time, go home.

[nailak]

it was a workplace advisor not workfare