Slave Labour?

[hans solo]

at least we had guts to protest in 80s not like now
we were on the streets over poll tax where is our fight with pensions etc
we are now sheep walking up to slaughter.
govmt policy is to make everyone depend on them and their policies whoever is in power
keep us subdued and in our place

[dvbuk55]

Well there's nothing like a joint statement to set our minds at rest is there?

Will there be any money changing hands or is it just a learning curve for the unemployed. To me it sounds like a clever ploy to take x number off the unemployed register for a few weeks and who's to say it won't be ongoing?

I can see it all now "In a joint statement RM and CWU have found this to be such a resounding success they have decided to extend the period of work experience for.................

It makes you wonder that by using the term "Joint Statement" it gives the impression that the CWU had any input at all whereas if RM had taken a singular decision to start the scheme what the CWU would have done. Said NO and looked like the killjoys of a scheme destined to get people off the dole.

[clashcityrocker]

at least we had guts to protest in 80s not like now
we were on the streets over poll tax where is our fight with pensions etc

There are still a lot of people protesting.
But the only people genuinely interested in the pensions situation are too old to be bothered to take to the streets in the same way that students and anti-capitalist demonstrators have recently.

[fishtank]

Works wonders
https://www.myroyalmail.com/mrm/appnews ... aspx?i=460" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sunday 8 January

We have teamed up with Job Centre Plus to offer young job-seekers voluntary four-week placements in our business.

Management recruitment manager Josie Coombes says: ‘Job Centre Plus will work with us to offer 80 to 100 young people the opportunity to get experience of working life.

‘This can significantly improve their employment prospects.

‘The staff at Job Centre Plus will identify people who have expressed an interest in our kind of work and will match them to our locations.’

Look out for updates on how the scheme goes soon.

[dvbuk55]

Works wonders
https://www.myroyalmail.com/mrm/appnews ... aspx?i=460" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sunday 8 January

We have teamed up with Job Centre Plus to offer young job-seekers voluntary four-week placements in our business.

Management recruitment manager Josie Coombes says: ‘Job Centre Plus will work with us to offer 80 to 100 young people the opportunity to get experience of working life.

‘This can significantly improve their employment prospects.

‘The staff at Job Centre Plus will identify people who have expressed an interest in our kind of work and will match them to our locations.’

Look out for updates on how the scheme goes soon.

Didn't see any mention of being "teamed up" with the CWU - considering the Joint Statement. It does make you wonder exactly what role the CWU has in these rubber stamp statements.

[fishtank]

Management recruitment manager Josie Coombes

Maybe we have this all wrong.
Perhaps they plan to replace management with four week placements.
Can they do much worse than the present bunch?

This is facebook,that's the coffee machine,Tesco is first on the left,the DSM will call around 0800,just tell him everything is clear and you can bugger off home at 1000.
Now you're up to speed i'll leave you to it.
See you in 4 weeks.

[POSTMAN]

http://www.boycottworkfare.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[UNION JACK]

If I live to be a thousand years old, I will never understand how the CWU became such a management/Tory government lackey, because as sure as our Saturdays are fooked, management/Tory lackeys is what the CWU are.

[WorkfareBoycotter]

As I understand this scheme, the company accepting these placements are to receive financial incentives, such as a fiscal amount per placement. It does state that union branches will be notified in advance and reps will have to be willing. As I understand it, these placements are mandated to take these placements or face economic sanctions by having their benefits stopped for 6 weeks. So that`s working for 4 weeks for 25-30 hours pw for around £ 100 pw. At a time when there has been large scale job losses I fear that these "placements" will inevitably & eventually be employed throughout. I cannot envisage union reps & workers aiding this scheme, which in my opinion is derogatory to the placements & existing workers. The rank & file will surely oppose this, as will the union that`s campaign slogan is a fair wage for all! There is an intresting website explaining all about this scheme & is calling on unions to sign up to it`s pledge to boycott this scheme. The link is: http://www.boycottworkfare.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[BoycottWorkfare]

JSA rates for under 25s are currently £53.45, so for a 30 hour workfare week you get £1.78 an hour.

http://www.boycottworkfare.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[rathbonepostie]

I've only just heard about this. it's bad enough that Royal mail wants to do it, but what the hell is our union doing supporting it?

It's called workfare, an idea imported from the U.S. of making people work for their benefits. Note, with all the talk of "Work experience", there is no mention of the possibility of a job at the end. In other companies people have been led to believe they will get a job at the end, then, surprise, surprise, they just get the push.

Royal Mail get a free workforce. In fact they might even be paid for using the scheme.
Those taking it up get only their benefits. Some have had their benefit stopped for refusing to take part.
If the work is there, the union should be insisting Royal Mail pay people the rate for the job, instead of supporting the idea of people working for nothing, undercutting everyone's conditions.

Around my way, workfare is used to take advanbtage of the vulnerable and to "punish" those who stand up for their rights.
Sections of the union which organises Job Centre workers (the PCS) are calling on their union to refuse to cooperate, and here we have our union supporting the programme!

Royal Mail is not the only big company taking advantage of this scheme, Tescos, Poundstretchers and HMV are among those doing it too. There is a court case pending challenging the whole scheme.

Everyone in the CWU should be asking what the hell is going on. The union should be blocking this scheme, not supporting it.

[dvbuk55]

I've only just heard about this. it's bad enough that Royal mail wants to do it, but what the hell is our union doing supporting it?

It's called workfare, an idea imported from the U.S. of making people work for their benefits. Note, with all the talk of "Work experience", there is no mention of the possibility of a job at the end. In other companies people have been led to believe they will get a job at the end, then, surprise, surprise, they just get the push.

Royal Mail get a free workforce. In fact they might even be paid for using the scheme.
Those taking it up get only their benefits. Some have had their benefit stopped for refusing to take part.
If the work is there, the union should be insisting Royal Mail pay people the rate for the job, instead of supporting the idea of people working for nothing, undercutting everyone's conditions.

Around my way, workfare is used to take advanbtage of the vulnerable and to "punish" those who stand up for their rights.
Sections of the union which organises Job Centre workers (the PCS) are calling on their union to refuse to cooperate, and here we have our union supporting the programme!

Royal Mail is not the only big company taking advantage of this scheme, Tescos, Poundstretchers and HMV are among those doing it too. There is a court case pending challenging the whole scheme.

Everyone in the CWU should be asking what the hell is going on. The union should be blocking this scheme, not supporting it.

When have you known the current crop of appeasers to block anything in the last five years - they talk a good fight but in reality they are paper tigers Privatisation? last week they were cosying up to the minister probably asking what was in it for them.

[fishtank]

We already have a work experience program.
It's called a 3 month temporary contract.
The union is way off the mark with this...way off on another planet.
Sometimes it's not enough to want to make sure you're involved,that you have a say,sometimes if something is very wrong like this you have to step back and make it clear you want no part of it.
I won't be getting involved,i will be advising our members not to get involved,if that brings our unit into conflict with branch or HQ....whatever.

[dvbuk55]

We already have a work experience program.
It's called a 3 month temporary contract.
The union is way off the mark with this...way off on another planet.
Sometimes it's not enough to want to make sure you're involved,that you have a say,sometimes if something is very wrong like this you have to step back and make it clear you want no part of it.
I won't be getting involved,i will be advising our members not to get involved,if that brings our unit into conflict with branch or HQ....whatever.

There is something worrying about the tendency to rubber stamp everything that RM suggests. Not least of all the fact that this is a Tory Government initiative and the CWU a union that actively supports the labour party. The never ending talks which suggest negotiations culminating in nothing short of capitulation in each and every issue under discussion. I don't know, within my limited experience of unions, any other union with such close ties to the employer.

[POSTMAN]

1:RM are going to do it or anything else they want for that matter anyway
2:The CWU know this and just get the best out if it that they can,and tbf they have got something,although again tbf it will be completely ignored by RM and possibly local reps.
3:The CWU can't been seen to block it,or complain about it (publicly anyway),can you imagine the headlines,'Dinosaur union puts the breaks on jobless work experience training ect woteva yadda yadda'.

Rock and hard place for the CWU,easy money for RM.

Oh and i nearly forgot... :dcfo :vcfo :ncfo