Join the South London Solfed roaming anti-workfare picket in Lewisham this Saturday, 4th October, in solidarity with Boycott Workfare's week of action.
Meet us at Lewisham Clocktower at 1pm.
We will be targeting a number of organisations on Lewisham High Street who continue to exploit unemployed people as free labour.
Workfare is an attack on us all. It does not save money, does not create jobs and does not help the unemployed. The government is trying to divide us by pitting those in work against 'scroungers' who supposedly need to forced into work. But workfare is as much an attack on those with jobs as those without. It drives down wages and disciplines those in waged work not to rock the boat lest they be replaced by workfare labour and end up unemployed themselves.
The latest workfare scheme, “Community Work Placements” (CWP), forces people to work for nothing for up to six months – twice the length of the maximum community service sentence for committing a crime. But there is growing resistance from the voluntary sector which the scheme needs to work: over 400 charities have signed up to Keep Volunteering Voluntary and 22 councils have pledged to boycott workfare. They know that workfare does not help people find jobs and being unemployed is not a crime.
Our actions can stop companies, charities and councils from exploiting this forced unpaid work. Join us on Saturday, check Boycott Workfare's list of actions or create your own.
LET'S MAKE WORKFARE UNWORKABLE!
*Know Your Rights info from Boycott Workfare for those facing workfare here.