CWU Leeds passes motion against workfare

[goinpostal]

This was passed without opposition at our AGM. Any other branches taken up the issue? I know the government has backed down on workfare now due to protests and pressure and removed the sanctions, but people still don't get paid for their work or have a gauranteed job at end, and i'm pretty sure that remains the case with the royal mail scheme - anyone know different?

Motion on Workfare - passed nem con CWU Leeds AGM

This branch notes:

The Coalition government’s Work Experience Programme is in fact a workfare scheme forcing those on benefits to work up to 30 hours a week for Job Seekers Allowance or face losing their benefits.

Over a million people have been added to the unemployment line through no fault of their own due to the economic crisis.

Workfare jobs are not real permanent jobs paying the legal minimum wage: those on such schemes do real work but are not paid adequately for it, less than £2 an hour for a 30 hour per week job at Tesco’s for instance.

Workfare undermines the creation of real jobs, and ultimately will undermine the wages and conditions of those in work, and the minimum wage and workers rights generally, as it has in the USA. Such workers could be used to undermine industrial action in the future.

Workfare is effectively forced labour, with tax payers’ money going into the coffers of giant companies like Tescos already making billions in profits. It is another example of Tory policies: take from the poor, give to the rich and big business.

This branch further notes:

Royal Mail is using the government’s workfare scheme and the CWU nationally has agreed this, despite there being no sign that these schemes lead to a real job.

The scheme could be used in the future instead of expanding real full or part time jobs in Royal Mail, undercutting our own members’ pay rates.

This branch believes:

Workers should be fairly remunerated for their work at the normal level paid for the tasks they perform and treated in the same way as a standard employee with full rights and union representation if they wish. These are the basic rights of any worker in a modern democratic society.

Royal Mail should pull out of the scheme, giving those already enrolled permanent jobs.

This branch resolves:

To circulate this motion to the rest of the union at every level – national, regions, branches – and directly contact the PEC to make our concerns known

To support local campaigns and peaceful actions against workfare, including those on the 3 March national day of action against Workfare.

[Lounge Lizard]

'Stable door' and 'horse bolted' springs to mind on this one.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

'Stable door' and 'horse bolted' springs to mind on this one.

Yes - but its purpose is to show that the grass root membership are unhappy that the CWU have endorsed the scheme within Royal Mail. If we did not have motions that "bolt the door after the horse has bolted" the leadership would think what they had done was acceptable, and in this I don't think it was.

[POSTMAN]

Bristol have done a motion for conference.

[cliffeyhez]

Well done Leeds, Well done Bristol.
Now come on the rest of you. :dcfo :ncfo :vcfo .

[Lounge Lizard]

'Stable door' and 'horse bolted' springs to mind on this one.

Yes - but its purpose is to show that the grass root membership are unhappy that the CWU have endorsed the scheme within Royal Mail. If we did not have motions that "bolt the door after the horse has bolted" the leadership would think what they had done was acceptable, and in this I don't think it was.

Thanks. I hadn't realised that.

[DirtyHarry]

I cannot say I'm altogether surprised that the National Executive of the CWU endorsed Royal Mail's participation in this, frankly, outrageous scheme.

We live in a country where our taxes are used by the wealthy to set up so-called "free" schools for their precosious brats.
Yes, free for the wealthy maybe, but also exclusive to the wealthy only.
And now. the wealthy want to staff their sweatshops with people on unemployment benefit, work 30hr weeks for nothing more than the benefit they were getting because the job that tesco had them doing, wasn't on offer anywhere, and at a decent living wage.
The wealthy in this country are really taking the pissss out of all of us.
Where the fark did those clowns at the top table of the CWU, come from? WHERE????

[goinpostal]

I dont think the horse has bolted the stable, we were informed that the CWU and RM will be issuing a joint statement on their scheme. It may be voluntary but is it paid rather than benefits - in fact if it really is training it should be paid at a postman's wage, like we were when we were given our induction - and does it automatically lead to a job. That has to be the bottom line and i'm not convinced from what i've read from our union that that's the case.

[POSTMAN]

Latest LTB is here...
http://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communit ... 15&t=43481" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[General Mannerheim]

Bristol have done a motion for conference.

Turd or all wind and piss?

[fishtank]

It has to be one thing or the other.
If it's work experience that has to involve work and any union that promotes work without pay is in need of a serious look at itself...whose work will they be doing....mine or yours?
Alternatively if it doesn't involve work it isn't work experience,it's just wasting time for these kids which would be better spent....finding a real job.
If Royal Mail is really interested in offering these people "a foot in the door" why doesn't it just open the door and offer them a job?
Royal Mail employed thousands of people,young and old at Christmas and gave them the best kind of work experience....paid.
Why do they want to bring in unpaid "workers" now?...at a time of major upheaval when relations with their paid employees is terrible even if HQ seem to be getting cosier by the minute.
10 years ago the union would not have entertained this.
What's next Dave?

Well done the branches that are taking a stand...shame on those who are hiding.

[Stormproof]

Royal Mail employed thousands of people,young and old at Christmas and gave them the best kind of work experience....paid.

Thats debatable

[glenfiddich]

hull city council are taking advantage of these poor souls even asking them to do unpaid overtime to clean along the clive sullivan way the penalty for leaving the course early is still there. just take a look around if theres half a dozen guys weeding a flower bed somewhere chances are only one of them will be a paid employee usually the one snoozing in the van