Showing posts with label Unemployment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unemployment. Show all posts
Friday, 18 January 2013
Monday, 14 January 2013
Honda to cut 800 jobs in Swindon
From the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20983462
"Honda is planning to cut 800 jobs at its Swindon plant, blaming weak demand across Europe. The Japanese carmaker, which began manufacturing there in 1992, has been hard hit by the eurozone crisis."
The Socialist Party and National Shop Stewards Network offer pull support to those workers at risk and will do everything possible to stop this offensive against the jobs of working people. More news will follow.
"Honda is planning to cut 800 jobs at its Swindon plant, blaming weak demand across Europe. The Japanese carmaker, which began manufacturing there in 1992, has been hard hit by the eurozone crisis."
The Socialist Party and National Shop Stewards Network offer pull support to those workers at risk and will do everything possible to stop this offensive against the jobs of working people. More news will follow.
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Austerity Games highlights plight of young people
From: http://www.youthfightforjobs.com
As the world’s eyes focus on the Olympics, one of the greatest events in the sporting calendar, young people and trade unionists from across the country arrived on Hackney Marshes, east London, to compete in the alternative Austerity Games.
Despite Hackney council’s over-zealous banning of the games, closing the toilets and café and locking the car-park gates, the games were a huge success.
The council’s attitude is just another example of what has been widely recognised as an officious clampdown on protest and extreme levels of security and protection of corporate sponsorship for the London 2012 Games.
The example of the bagel shop, swooped on for getting into the Olympic spirit and arranging bagels in the shape of the Olympic rings, shows the lengths these drones will go to to protect the likes of Coca-Cola, Samsung and Visa.
Free from the corporate restraints of the nearby high security-fenced Olympic park, wearing and drinking anything of their choice, the Austerity athletes lined up to highlight the plight of young people in Britain today.
Read the rest of the article, with more pictures: http://www.youthfightforjobs.com/wordpress/wordpress/?p=523
As the world’s eyes focus on the Olympics, one of the greatest events in the sporting calendar, young people and trade unionists from across the country arrived on Hackney Marshes, east London, to compete in the alternative Austerity Games.
Despite Hackney council’s over-zealous banning of the games, closing the toilets and café and locking the car-park gates, the games were a huge success.
The council’s attitude is just another example of what has been widely recognised as an officious clampdown on protest and extreme levels of security and protection of corporate sponsorship for the London 2012 Games.
The example of the bagel shop, swooped on for getting into the Olympic spirit and arranging bagels in the shape of the Olympic rings, shows the lengths these drones will go to to protect the likes of Coca-Cola, Samsung and Visa.
Free from the corporate restraints of the nearby high security-fenced Olympic park, wearing and drinking anything of their choice, the Austerity athletes lined up to highlight the plight of young people in Britain today.
Read the rest of the article, with more pictures: http://www.youthfightforjobs.com/wordpress/wordpress/?p=523
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Unemployed bussed in to steward river pageant
From today's Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jun/04/jubilee-pageant-unemployed
A group of long-term unemployed jobseekers were bussed into London to work as unpaid stewards during the diamond jubilee celebrations and told to sleep under London Bridge before working on the river pageant.
Up to 30 jobseekers and another 50 people on apprentice wages were taken to London by coach from Bristol, Bath and Plymouth as part of the government's Work Programme.
Two jobseekers, who did not want to be identified in case they lost their benefits, said they had to camp under London Bridge the night before the pageant. They told the Guardian they had to change into security gear in public, had no access to toilets for 24 hours, and were taken to a swampy campsite outside London after working a 14-hour shift in the pouring rain on the banks of the Thames on Sunday.
A group of long-term unemployed jobseekers were bussed into London to work as unpaid stewards during the diamond jubilee celebrations and told to sleep under London Bridge before working on the river pageant.
Up to 30 jobseekers and another 50 people on apprentice wages were taken to London by coach from Bristol, Bath and Plymouth as part of the government's Work Programme.
Two jobseekers, who did not want to be identified in case they lost their benefits, said they had to camp under London Bridge the night before the pageant. They told the Guardian they had to change into security gear in public, had no access to toilets for 24 hours, and were taken to a swampy campsite outside London after working a 14-hour shift in the pouring rain on the banks of the Thames on Sunday.
Friday, 20 April 2012
Bristol Anti-Workfare Protest - this Saturday
Organised by Bristol Youth Fight For Jobs:
Saturday, 22 October 2011
Jarrow March 2011 Events - Marchers visiting Bristol this weekend
As has been covered on this blog, Youth Fight for Jobs have organised a recreation of the Jarrow Crusade of 75 years ago, marching from Tyneside to London to highlight the issues of youth unemployment and education cuts, including the removal of the EMA and the trebling of university tuition fees. This march has got a lot of national press coverage, including an endorsement from The Fonz on the One Show (available to watch here).
Jarrow marchers are visiting Bristol this weekend and there are several events organised while they are here. Please come along to show your support for an event that is making the ConDem government squirm by proving that youth unemployment cannot be ignored. We won't have a lost generation!
Fundraising Gig
Sunday 23rd Oct, 8pm. Grain Barge, Mardyke Wharf, Hotwells, BS8 4RU. Entry £5.
Public Meeting
Monday 24th October, 7pm. City of Bristol College (College Green campus), St George's Road, BS1 5UA
National Demonstration
The end of the Jarrow march will be marked by a national demonstration in London on Saturday 5th November. Coaches will be going from Bristol, leaving 8.30am from Anchor Road (opposite @Bristol). Contact Tom Baldwin on 07986951527 to book a place.
Friday, 14 October 2011
TUC says: UK is in a state-sponsored unemployment crisis
http://www.tuc.org.uk/economy/tuc-20157-f0.cfm
See this report from the TUC, with comes with some shocking unemployment figures. As Brendan Barber says, the country needs a Plan B - but Socialists can't wait for either the Tories, Liberals or Labour to cut the country out of recession. Austerity, unemployment and poverty need to be fought by the Labour movement, with a Plan B that overthrows capitalism.
See this report from the TUC, with comes with some shocking unemployment figures. As Brendan Barber says, the country needs a Plan B - but Socialists can't wait for either the Tories, Liberals or Labour to cut the country out of recession. Austerity, unemployment and poverty need to be fought by the Labour movement, with a Plan B that overthrows capitalism.
Saturday, 8 October 2011
Tory MP claiming £145,387 expenses slanders the unemployed
Since the article was written, similar attacks have appeared in the Sun and the Indepdent, please sent letters of protest to the editors and post comments to help refute these Tory slanders.
Nasty party reveals true attitude to unemployed youth
Young people marching from Jarrow to London were amused by the pack of lies being printed in tomorrows telegraph, and surprised that the conservative partys publicity department would allow such a show of their true face.
Ben Robinson, marching from Jarrow to London said “Young people have long known that the priviledged elite ruling Britain today live on a completely different planet to them, and Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough has revealed how true that is today. His disgraceful comments implying that all young unemployed do is watch Jeremy Kyle is a real kick in the teeth for those who are day after day searching for jobs. There have been a number of tragic cases of suicides of those who after hundreds of job rejections, and Robert Goodwills comments reveal huge depths of cynicism that lie at the heart of the Westminster. Perhaps if he did not receive £145,387 in expenses in 2008 he would have more understanding of what the situation young people is.”
“Richard Alleyne, the author of the article, perhaps should start by fact checking, and speaking to those on the march. We had a demonstration in Jarrow on Saturday which was attended by around 500 people – however, it was always going to be the case that there was a far smaller number of core marchers, around 20-30. As a march of unemployed people, of course we are organising trips to sign on and for interviews; you would hope that the MPs would welcome this display of pro-active job seeking. However all have returned to the march and are determined to make it through to the end. We would like to invite all concerned with this article to join us on Wednesday 12 October, as the latest set of unemployment figures are published and we march from Barnsley into Nick Cleggs constituency in Sheffield, or if they are worried about how sore their feet would be perhaps they could take the short march through London when we arrive on 5 November, assembling 12 noon embankment. There will be many young people from all walks of life who will be more than happy to expain what life is like in the real world.”
The Jarrow march is sponsored by eight national trade unions, including RMT, PCS, CWU, FBU, Unite, UCU, TSSA, Bectu and has been joined by countless trade union activists, young people, students and more.
http://jarrowmarch11.com/2011/10/07/tory-mp-claiming-145387-expenses-slanders-the-unemployed/
Nasty party reveals true attitude to unemployed youth
Young people marching from Jarrow to London were amused by the pack of lies being printed in tomorrows telegraph, and surprised that the conservative partys publicity department would allow such a show of their true face.
Ben Robinson, marching from Jarrow to London said “Young people have long known that the priviledged elite ruling Britain today live on a completely different planet to them, and Robert Goodwill, MP for Scarborough has revealed how true that is today. His disgraceful comments implying that all young unemployed do is watch Jeremy Kyle is a real kick in the teeth for those who are day after day searching for jobs. There have been a number of tragic cases of suicides of those who after hundreds of job rejections, and Robert Goodwills comments reveal huge depths of cynicism that lie at the heart of the Westminster. Perhaps if he did not receive £145,387 in expenses in 2008 he would have more understanding of what the situation young people is.”
“Richard Alleyne, the author of the article, perhaps should start by fact checking, and speaking to those on the march. We had a demonstration in Jarrow on Saturday which was attended by around 500 people – however, it was always going to be the case that there was a far smaller number of core marchers, around 20-30. As a march of unemployed people, of course we are organising trips to sign on and for interviews; you would hope that the MPs would welcome this display of pro-active job seeking. However all have returned to the march and are determined to make it through to the end. We would like to invite all concerned with this article to join us on Wednesday 12 October, as the latest set of unemployment figures are published and we march from Barnsley into Nick Cleggs constituency in Sheffield, or if they are worried about how sore their feet would be perhaps they could take the short march through London when we arrive on 5 November, assembling 12 noon embankment. There will be many young people from all walks of life who will be more than happy to expain what life is like in the real world.”
The Jarrow march is sponsored by eight national trade unions, including RMT, PCS, CWU, FBU, Unite, UCU, TSSA, Bectu and has been joined by countless trade union activists, young people, students and more.
http://jarrowmarch11.com/2011/10/07/tory-mp-claiming-145387-expenses-slanders-the-unemployed/
Friday, 7 October 2011
Guardian article on Jarrow March 2011
Jarrow's 2011 marchers take the long road to an uncertain future
75 years after the original crusade for jobs, young people are again taking their protest from the north-east to Westminster
Esther Addley on the A167, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 5 October 2011 20.49 BST
Four days and barely 45 miles into the trek, Ben Robinson could already boast of having learned some new skills. Another marcher who was acting as the group's unofficial medic had had to duck out, "but thankfully she trained me up in foot doctoring before she left". He had already had to apply a butterfly ("where the blister is between the toes, and you have to cut the plaster") and an armadillo ("it's a way of applying the tape so you don't get more blisters – it's more technical than you think").
Most grateful for his skills was Bobbie Cranney, 26, from Newcastle, who had had to take the support minibus for a day or two, to her enormous frustration, so bad were her blisters. She was hoping to be back on the road when she could, she said, though she'd have to nip home in a day or two to sign on....
Also read the Jarrow march daily blog here: http://jarrowmarch11.com/
75 years after the original crusade for jobs, young people are again taking their protest from the north-east to Westminster
Esther Addley on the A167, guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 5 October 2011 20.49 BST
Four days and barely 45 miles into the trek, Ben Robinson could already boast of having learned some new skills. Another marcher who was acting as the group's unofficial medic had had to duck out, "but thankfully she trained me up in foot doctoring before she left". He had already had to apply a butterfly ("where the blister is between the toes, and you have to cut the plaster") and an armadillo ("it's a way of applying the tape so you don't get more blisters – it's more technical than you think").
Most grateful for his skills was Bobbie Cranney, 26, from Newcastle, who had had to take the support minibus for a day or two, to her enormous frustration, so bad were her blisters. She was hoping to be back on the road when she could, she said, though she'd have to nip home in a day or two to sign on....
Also read the Jarrow march daily blog here: http://jarrowmarch11.com/
Sunday, 2 October 2011
Jarrow March 2011 sets off!
A daily report and pictures to be posted here: http://jarrowmarch11.com/
The march has received a huge amount of coverage in the national and local media.
The Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/feedarticle/9873893
BBC report here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-15135644
The BBC have even been encourage to look back at the historic Jarrow March, here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9604000/9604857.stm
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Jarrow March: Council levies £2500 on unemployed protest
Urgent press release, for immediate use - ‘Jarrow March’ council want to charge young, unemployed people £2,500 to re-enact march 75 years on
Paul Callanan, Youth Fight for Jobs, National Organiser says: “This is an outrage. South Tyneside council, which has the original Jarrow March banner and petition on proud display is demanding that young, mainly unemployed people, pay £2,500 to re-enact the march. What the council is essentially trying to do is put a price on democracy. YFJ has organised many protests and demonstrations and this is the first time a council has demanded money for road closure.
This comes just over a month after the inner cities were rocked by a wave of youth riots. You would think that the council would take a more sympathetic stance towards young people wanting to peacefully march for a future. How are young people, many of whom are on the dole or are students being forced to pay sky high fees, supposed to pay this extortionate fee?
This is a threat to right to protest for all working class and young people. I have been told that I need to pay £2,500 for road closures in Jarrow on the opening day. I am personally liable for this fee. If South Tyneside council get away with this today what happens to trade unionists, students, youth and anti-cuts campaigners who want to protest against vicious ConDem austerity. Whatever happens Youth Fight for Jobs will be marching from Jarrow this Saturday, with huge support from local people and trade unions. We will campaign against any attempt to charge us for doing so ”
We urge people to register their complaints with the council at customerhelp@southtyneside.gov.uk or see the councils complaints page http://www.southtyneside.info/applications/2/corporatefeedback/default.aspx?formtype=complaint or phone 0845 1450 100
Youth Fight for Jobs was launched in 2009 in response to sky high youth unemployment. We now have the backing of the PCS, RMT, Unite, UCU, CWU, Bectu, TSSA trade unioon.
For more info contact www.youthfightforjobs@gmail.com
Log on www.youthfightforjobs.com or jarrowmarch11.com
This comes just over a month after the inner cities were rocked by a wave of youth riots. You would think that the council would take a more sympathetic stance towards young people wanting to peacefully march for a future. How are young people, many of whom are on the dole or are students being forced to pay sky high fees, supposed to pay this extortionate fee?
This is a threat to right to protest for all working class and young people. I have been told that I need to pay £2,500 for road closures in Jarrow on the opening day. I am personally liable for this fee. If South Tyneside council get away with this today what happens to trade unionists, students, youth and anti-cuts campaigners who want to protest against vicious ConDem austerity. Whatever happens Youth Fight for Jobs will be marching from Jarrow this Saturday, with huge support from local people and trade unions. We will campaign against any attempt to charge us for doing so ”
We urge people to register their complaints with the council at customerhelp@southtyneside.gov.uk or see the councils complaints page http://www.southtyneside.info/applications/2/corporatefeedback/default.aspx?formtype=complaint or phone 0845 1450 100
Youth Fight for Jobs was launched in 2009 in response to sky high youth unemployment. We now have the backing of the PCS, RMT, Unite, UCU, CWU, Bectu, TSSA trade unioon.
For more info contact www.youthfightforjobs@gmail.com
Log on www.youthfightforjobs.com or jarrowmarch11.com
Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Daily Mirror shows support for Jarrow March 2011
Kevin Maguire, columnist with the Daily Mirror, has praised the organisers of Youth Fight For Jobs the Jarrow March 2011, which is setting off on 1st October and should arrive in London on the 5th November, to raise awareness about soaring unemployment and the Conservative-Liberal complicity in axing jobs, services and opportunities for young workers and students. This follows previous positive coverage in the Sunday Mirror.
Walking in the footsteps of the Jarrow marchersby Kevin Maguire, Daily Mirror 21/09/2011
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columnists/maguire/2011/09/21/walking-in-the-footsteps-of-the-jarrow-marchers-115875-23434822/#ixzz1YcCPqmTS
THE Jarrow Crusade, 75 years old next month, is an inspirational chapter in our country’s history.
In the Great Depression, 200 hungry and desperate jobless men went on a 300-mile walk for work to London. Tories and Liberals on Tyneside and along the route backed the 1936 protest which, unfashionable as it remains to say, was an utter failure. PM Stanley Baldwin refused to see them and ironically it was Hitler who saved the shipbuilding town, war requiring warships.
I wish the best of luck to the plucky young people who, a week on Saturday, begin walking in the footsteps of the Jarrow men. Nearly one in five young people are on the scrapheap. But this trek doesn’t have the support of the Cons. Cameron’s Big Society only has room for the successful and well-to-do.
http://jarrowmarch11.com
Walking in the footsteps of the Jarrow marchersby Kevin Maguire, Daily Mirror 21/09/2011
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/columnists/maguire/2011/09/21/walking-in-the-footsteps-of-the-jarrow-marchers-115875-23434822/#ixzz1YcCPqmTS
THE Jarrow Crusade, 75 years old next month, is an inspirational chapter in our country’s history.
In the Great Depression, 200 hungry and desperate jobless men went on a 300-mile walk for work to London. Tories and Liberals on Tyneside and along the route backed the 1936 protest which, unfashionable as it remains to say, was an utter failure. PM Stanley Baldwin refused to see them and ironically it was Hitler who saved the shipbuilding town, war requiring warships.
I wish the best of luck to the plucky young people who, a week on Saturday, begin walking in the footsteps of the Jarrow men. Nearly one in five young people are on the scrapheap. But this trek doesn’t have the support of the Cons. Cameron’s Big Society only has room for the successful and well-to-do.
http://jarrowmarch11.com
Saturday, 27 August 2011
PCS: Fighting unemployment
Rising unemployment shows cuts are strangling the economy
From: http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/news_centre/index.cfm/id/E190F8B8-2CBE-491F-8C8B6F9B754791F1
Today's rise in unemployment figures is the latest indication that the government's austerity measures are strangling the economy and stifling the recovery, says the Public and Commercial Services Union.
Public sector job cuts and the lack of private jobs being created have helped to cause the continued rise in the unemployment rate – according to the Office for National Statistics figures for the three months to June it was 7.9%, up 0.1%. The number of unemployed women increased by 21,000 to 1.05 million the highest since May 1988.
The unemployed are facing even greater problems with the government’s attacks on welfare, including the chaos of the new welfare to work programme, as 20 jobcentres across the UK in areas of rising unemployment, whose employees have expertise built up over a number of years, face closure.
In Camberwell in south London where PCS members have been fighting a popular community campaign to save the jobcentre 6.2% of people are claimants and nearly 16 people competing for each vacancy. At Glasgow city jobcentre an area where 6.9% of people are claimants there are about 17 claimants for each vacancy (TUC figures from March 2011).
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “When unemployment is so high and the claimant count continues to rise it is more important than ever that public servants in jobcentres are given adequate resources to get people back to work. The government must remove the threat of jobcentre closures and tackle the mass unemployment that risks doing long-term damage to our economy.
“The chancellor wonders if the 50p tax rate will be effective because of tax avoidance and evasion when if he was interested in closing the £120 billion annual tax gap he would be investing in the Revenue staff to go after the big businesses and the rich and make them pay their fair share. Instead of this he is determined to continue the scandal of under-investment and let thousands of well-off people off the hook.
“By closing the tax gap and taxing the super-rich the government would be able to fund investment in council housing, renewable and public and close the deficit.
“Even billionaire investor Warren Buffett has called for the super-rich to pay higher taxes to end the US debt problems, something which the coalition and their wealthy friends in the UK appear keen to avoid.”
From: http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/news_and_events/news_centre/index.cfm/id/E190F8B8-2CBE-491F-8C8B6F9B754791F1
Today's rise in unemployment figures is the latest indication that the government's austerity measures are strangling the economy and stifling the recovery, says the Public and Commercial Services Union.
Public sector job cuts and the lack of private jobs being created have helped to cause the continued rise in the unemployment rate – according to the Office for National Statistics figures for the three months to June it was 7.9%, up 0.1%. The number of unemployed women increased by 21,000 to 1.05 million the highest since May 1988.
The unemployed are facing even greater problems with the government’s attacks on welfare, including the chaos of the new welfare to work programme, as 20 jobcentres across the UK in areas of rising unemployment, whose employees have expertise built up over a number of years, face closure.
In Camberwell in south London where PCS members have been fighting a popular community campaign to save the jobcentre 6.2% of people are claimants and nearly 16 people competing for each vacancy. At Glasgow city jobcentre an area where 6.9% of people are claimants there are about 17 claimants for each vacancy (TUC figures from March 2011).
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “When unemployment is so high and the claimant count continues to rise it is more important than ever that public servants in jobcentres are given adequate resources to get people back to work. The government must remove the threat of jobcentre closures and tackle the mass unemployment that risks doing long-term damage to our economy.
“The chancellor wonders if the 50p tax rate will be effective because of tax avoidance and evasion when if he was interested in closing the £120 billion annual tax gap he would be investing in the Revenue staff to go after the big businesses and the rich and make them pay their fair share. Instead of this he is determined to continue the scandal of under-investment and let thousands of well-off people off the hook.
“By closing the tax gap and taxing the super-rich the government would be able to fund investment in council housing, renewable and public and close the deficit.
“Even billionaire investor Warren Buffett has called for the super-rich to pay higher taxes to end the US debt problems, something which the coalition and their wealthy friends in the UK appear keen to avoid.”
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Scary times in Shropshire
From the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-14028188
Shropshire Council to dismiss all staff in pay cutDismissal letters have been sent to all of Shropshire Council's 6,500 employees.
Shropshire Council to dismiss all staff in pay cutDismissal letters have been sent to all of Shropshire Council's 6,500 employees.
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