Slavery has been with us from time immemorial and reasonable people have always, on principle, fought against the idea of slavery. One of the first records of slavery being forbidden was in 550 BC in Achaemenid Persia where it was generally banned, their religion Zoroastrianism explicitly forbid slavery. As we move through history, over time we see scores of places introducing laws to forbid slavery or the slave trade. In 960 the Doge of Venice approved a law prohibiting slavery. Even on these islands in 1102 the Council of London made the trade in slaves illegal and in 1569 the English Court ruled that English law could not recognise slavery and again here in 1701, Lord Chief Justice ruled that a slave became free as soon as he arrived in England. Now here we are in the 21st. century and we have a government of millionaires trying their damnedest to reintroduce slavery in this country. They have tried to dress it up in more modern language and have given it a nice sounding name, they call it "Work-fare". The idea is that if you are unemployed and are receiving the princely sum of £67 a week job seekers allowance, to survive on, then you are obliged to accept being sent to some extremely rich company and work there for "NOTHING" failing to do so could see you lose your £67 benefit money. They say it is voluntary, voluntary slavery, but those who have been unfortunate enough to be put in this position make it quite clear that you are under pressure to go to your newly prescribed master and do his bidding, for nothing. The big businesses would love to grab this opportunity to have an army of unpaid young people scurrying around with the sweat dripping off their forehead, filling their selves or what ever they demand. However some are drawing back from the scheme, not out of compassion for the young slaves, but for the bad publicity that is coming their way when they do participate. People are objecting to this humiliating way of treating our young people, groups are demonstrating outside and in their premises and they public is beginning to see through the tinsel dressing and fancy words that they have dressed up this degrading scheme of modern slavery.
Saturday 3rd March
Protest against Work fare - Protest against slave labour
MEET TOP SHOP BUCHANAN STREET (OUTSIDE BUCHANAN GALLERIES) 1PM
Protest against Work fare - Protest against slave labour
MEET TOP SHOP BUCHANAN STREET (OUTSIDE BUCHANAN GALLERIES) 1PM
In solidarity with Liverpool Uncut’s action against workfare on Saturday 3rd March, Boycott Workfare has called a national day of action against workfare. There will be a Boycott Workfare action in Central London on this day and people all over the UK are to take action on their high streets.
So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice –Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, TK Maxx and Topshop to name but a few. Get a group together, make a plan, and head to the streets. Workfare means that those on benefits are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of the living wage – they receive £2.25 an hour in benefits for 30 hours of work.
Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?
We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones and Sainsburys recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation. We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all!
So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice –Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, TK Maxx and Topshop to name but a few. Get a group together, make a plan, and head to the streets. Workfare means that those on benefits are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of the living wage – they receive £2.25 an hour in benefits for 30 hours of work.
Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?
We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones and Sainsburys recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation. We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all!
If you continue to exploit us, we WILL shut you down!
http://www.facebook.com/events/163269033789710/
