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.

Bristol Anti-Workfare Protest - this Saturday

Organised by Bristol Youth Fight For Jobs:

http://www.facebook.com/events/206377172809584/

"Bristol has seen two successful days of action, highlighting the use of workfare to provide free labour. Youth Fight for Jobs have organised another. This time it will be a static protest, campaigning outside one of the companies using the workfare schemes. We will meet in the centre of Broadmead at 1pm (by the Ferris Wheel/BHS) before going to the shop in question."

ITN report on Youth Fight For Jobs workfare protest

Good video footage of today's protest against Workfare organised by Bristol Youth Fight For Jobs. Well done to the comrades involved - report can be viewed here but won't stay online long:


http://www.itv.com/westcountry-east/

Bristol Day of Action Against Workfare

With the support of Bristol Youth Fight For Jobs, see event on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/events/131728820283870/

On the 3rd of March, anti-cuts groups across the country are organising coordinated protests against the Government's slave-labour workfare programme. This page is for everyone who will be in Bristol on that day. If you want a part in the organisation, get in touch.

The plan is to start outside BHS (next to ferris wheel) at 13:00 and set off on a tour of many of the nearby workfare businesses, briefly stopping outside each shop, making some racket, and moving on to the next (route to be added shortly) before moving on to a rally on Castle Park (unfortunately the Green is bordered off).

PCS says Barclays tax could fund proper jobs for youth

From PCS Press Release

The £500 million in avoided tax that Barclays bank will now have to pay could fund full-time jobs above the living wage for all the young people who have been working for free under the government 'work experience' scheme.


Divided between the 34,000 16 to 24-year-olds who have been put onto the programme, the money could pay salaries of £14,706 a year, or £8.08 an hour for a 35-hour week.


A tax loophole that allowed Barclays to avoid paying £500 million in corporation tax has been closed by HM Revenue and Customs.


PCS points out that this is a "drop in the ocean" compared to more than £120 billion in tax revenue that is avoided, evaded or uncollected every year.