Work un-fair

New government threats to force another 50,000 unemployed 18-21 year olds onto Workfare placements with charities and voluntary groups is facing a fresh storm of protest.

Volunteers Week, which runs until this Friday plans to add to the 550 charities and voluntary groups who are already refusing to take forced “volunteers” who face sanctions as part of the Workfare programme.

The Workfare programme forces the unemployed to work for their benefits for six months or face sanctions. Some major employers have been shamed into withdrawing from the programme, with critics saying it is little more than ultra low paid forced labour.

And the Keep Volunteering Voluntary campaign, which opposes the Department for Work and Pensions’ run scheme is turning up the volume this week. They are asking for even more charities and voluntary groups to protect the status of volunteers and oppose forced labour underpinned by a vicious sanctions regime.

Sally Kosky, Unite national officer for members in the voluntary and community sector said: “There is already huge and growing opposition to the government mis-using the charity and voluntary sector in this way. The campaign started over a year ago and this week is the first anniversary of the campaign.

“It is a disgrace that the government – with little consultation with the sector – decided to force unemployed people to complete unpaid community work placements to receive benefits. It has now decided it wants to force another 50,000 18 to 21 year olds to ‘volunteer’.

“Genuine volunteering means people independently choosing to give their time freely to help others and make the world a better place. We believe in keeping volunteering voluntary and will not participate in government workfare schemes which make it compulsory.

“Genuine volunteers are vital to charitable and voluntary organisations. Workfare undermines the intrinsic nature of volunteering: that it should be freely done and it should be voluntary.”

Forced to work unpaid

Liane Groves, head of Unite Community said: “It’s ridiculous to think you can force anyone to do voluntary week. Workfare forces unemployed people to carry out unpaid work or face benefit sanctions.

“The sanctions regime is particularly vicious and petty. It has been condemned for causing real hardship and suffering to often very vulnerable people.

“The most minor breach of the programme can see people lose Jobseekers Allowance for a minimum of four weeks. And people can lose this benefit for up to three years.

“It is taking money from the poorest and most vulnerable and making them destitute. That can force people into the hands of loan sharks just to buy food.

“Unite has played a key role in this campaign. We have joined the collective voice of the charitable and voluntary sector in opposing these plans and their extension.

“The Tories are also threatening to expand this into the public sector which could undermine jobs and wages by getting the unemployed to work for benefits alone.

There is no question the Tories want to hugely expand Workfare into other areas and that is a concern.

“Unite is trying to work with employers to oppose these moves. Young people not in full-time education need access to proper paying high quality apprenticeships that will lead to jobs.”

For more information on the Unite Workfare Campaign, including the Local Authority pledge, please visit the campaign’s website here, where you can get the latest info and tell us your story about Workfare.