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unemployed have earned a lie in...

signer | 06.10.2004 15:45 | Sheffield

No need to attend Job centres on 5th November (if that's your signing on day)!

The dole workers are up for striking on that day to defend their jobs and the service. A bulletin to all workers has been circulated calling for PCS (civil service union) members working at Jobcentre-plus to support a day of industrial action.

"Remember, Remember The 5th of November" is the call by the PCS for any of their members who want to give signers the day off that Friday (as a disenfranchised customer, I'm a bit cynical about them achieving anything more!). But the photocopy i saw on one of the dole advisor's desks is asking for Sheffield to support it, getting them to attend meetings (to be held in the car parks, as doing it indoors is banned) this week at Hillsborough, Eastern Avenue & Bailey Court and Hartshead in town.

I think whoever we are, we should suport them. They don't really do much of a job and tend to frustrate claimants by implementing the usual crap - but if we talk to them and meet them at their level (from a point of view of their job and position they hold on us) we could have an exchange of ideas, start relating to each other instead of the usual Us & Them... From speaking to a guy working in Income Support based upstairs at one jobcentre, he mentioned how pretty soon all benefits advice will be located at a "call centre" probably in Lincoln or some other region. This centre would deal with half of the country by a phone and postal service only, which would leave signing on simple but everything else even more frustrating for everyone involved. This is the long term worry facing dole workers/ claimants, reason why they are taking action in the short term.

Some people might say: "why should we support 'fascists' going on strike?" but there's meant to be some good trade unionists involved in this sector, shall we show them solidarity like we did with the bus drivers and make connections?

The future is here.

signer

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

Wot Fascists?

06.10.2004 23:00

Some people might say: "why should we support 'fascists' going on strike?"

Erm, I think equating those who work in job centres with fascists is over doing it to say the least. Most of them I've met are alright - and they're on strike!!! That is they're engaged in a struggle AGAINST the government right now.

I don't see any problem in supporting them at all - except, what can we do?

Late signer

Wot can we do?

08.10.2004 14:26

exactly - what can we do as mere, hopeless doleys in order to help jobcentre workers?

v.little i suspect but i'd welcome any useful ideas on the subject. By the way, i have known a couple of "customers" (as they probably insist on calling us these days) exclaim "fascists!" when confronted by these staff, just a term of abuse in retaliation i guess.

The future is privatisation (that'll be a load of fun).

on the sick

just a wage?

08.10.2004 14:43

The Public and Commercial Services union website gives the impression that the strike planned for 5th November will be a biggie. Sounds like members are wanting to take action to prevent attacks on staff, due to claimants frustration, while recognising that they are there to serve the 'vulnerable' in society. And to protect their jobs of course.

http://www.pcs.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=892986

supporter
Homepage: http://www.pcs.org.uk/MainPage.asp?NodeID=20427

What you can do

10.10.2004 15:19

You can join us in a rally on 15 October 12:30-13:30 outside Sheffield Town Hall. Where we will be highlighting our case. The local media have been invited, so a strong show of support from the comrades who use our services would be most welcome.

Dave

good

13.10.2004 13:30

I have no sympathy at all for job centre people faced with losing their jobs.A spell of unemployment would do some of them good.
When I was longterm unemplyed I never got any help ,you have to play their game to survive,When labour got in life became very hard,and instead of just signing on,we had an interrigation every time we signed on.I was sent for jobs that I had no chance of getting and given innaccurate out of date information about courses etc.I lived in fear at times if one of them gave me too much pressure.The nice ones are the worse,they get you to tell them things and then type it into the computer where you cant see.Notice how they switch the computer off if they have to leave their desk so you cant see what they put.Some of these lot may be ok but on the whole the sort who work in job centres are people who will do as they are told, they would stamp the forms to send you off to a concentration camp if they were told to.No they are not fascist but they would do as they were told to if we had a fascist state.Fascism relies on people following orders.There are also people whose job it is to spy and take you to court for fraud.A lot of claimants have some parttime job to make ends meet.unemployment bemefit is impossible to live on,and then there are the ones who interview you and make you feel like crap because you have not been able to get work.

len

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