Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

[teaboy2]

Graduate Cait Reilly legal action against Government over allegedly being made to stack shelves in Poundland | The Sun |News

My view is that the governments attempts to force the unemployed into forced compulsory unpaid labour under threat of losing their benefits is a clear breach of Article 4 of the Human rights convention, but also a clear breach of the coroners and jusitice act 2009 section 71 as shown below:

71 - Slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour(1)A person (D) commits an offence if—

(a)D holds another person in slavery or servitude and the circumstances are such that D knows or ought to know that the person is so held, or

(b)D requires another person to perform forced or compulsory labour and the circumstances are such that D knows or ought to know that the person is being required to perform such labour.

(2)In subsection (1) the references to holding a person in slavery or servitude or requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour are to be construed in accordance with Article 4 of the Human Rights Convention (which prohibits a person from being held in slavery or servitude or being required to perform forced or compulsory labour).

(3)A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the relevant period or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or both;

(b)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years or a fine, or both.

(4)In this section—
“Human Rights Convention” means the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms agreed by the Council of Europe at Rome on 4 November 1950;“the relevant period” means—(a)in relation to England and Wales, 12 months;(b)in relation to Northern Ireland, 6 months.

There are far better ways of helping people back into work. I fail to see how such forced labour helps them find work, instead it means they have less time to be actively looking for work and applying for work, and it also leaves them open to exploitation from companies that benefit from the free labour, such as lower cost than employing someone full or part time.

The government needs to look at more proactive ways of creating job vacancies and supporting businesses so that they can produce those vacancies. Alot of companies can take people on as self employed workers earning a commission for the work they have done for the company, or for sales they have made, which also enables the person from work from home too - Thats one alternative route out of probably many more. All thats needed is reduction in red tape, some creative thinking and support from the government to support the businesses that are willing to do this.

So i say go get them Miss Reilly.

[shell]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

I have no problem with the government saying here's a job, take it or lose your benefits. The proviso being that you are allowed (within reason) to seek employment and go for interviews with the profession you are trained in or would like to work in.

I also don't see any harm in getting dole seekers to work in the voluntary sector for a short time.

What I do have a problem with is large companies using unemployed people as free labour. If poundland needs someone to stack shelves then it should take an unemployed person off the dole and give them a job at a decent wage.

Making someone work for a company that should be employing is just exploitation.

[teaboy2]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

I have no problem with the government saying here's a job, take it or lose your benefits. The proviso being that you are allowed (within reason) to seek employment and go for interviews with the profession you are trained in or would like to work in.

I neither agree or disagree, as one i see your point, but i do not agree with them being forced to do it. It should be voluntary, and they should not be threaten with loss of benefits if they do not wish to do it even if its voluntary. And 2 i agree anyone doing such voluntary work should be allowed to seek employment and go for interviews.

And as for poundland, well i totally agree with you on that - its explotiation pure and simple. But not only that shell, your view kinda of goes against your other view of not having a problem with them being forced to do unpaid work or lose benefits.

[shell]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

I neither agree or disagree, as one i see your point, but i do not agree with them being forced to do it. It should be voluntary, and they should not be threaten with loss of benefits if they do not wish to do it even if its voluntary. And 2 i agree anyone doing such voluntary work should be allowed to seek employment and go for interviews.

And as for poundland, well i totally agree with you on that - its explotiation pure and simple. But not only that shell, your view kinda of goes against your other view of not having a problem with them being forced to do unpaid work or lose benefits.

I probably didn't express myself properly, what I mean by saying "here's a job, take it or lose your benefits" I do mean a paid job. Unless it's voluntary work, nobody should be working for nothing. I'm also not talking about sh#tty wages either. It needs to be a livable wage. If there's paid employment available there is no reason why an unemployed person shouldn't be doing it. Even if you are only a couple of pounds better off than being on the dole, as long as you are better off you should be working (that's if there is work available of course).

[teaboy2]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

I probably didn't express myself properly, what I mean by saying "here's a job, take it or lose your benefits" I do mean a paid job. Unless it's voluntary work, nobody should be working for nothing. I'm also not talking about sh#tty wages either. It needs to be a livable wage. If there's paid employment available there is no reason why an unemployed person shouldn't be doing it. Even if you are only a couple of pounds better off than being on the dole, as long as you are better off you should be working (that's if there is work available of course).

Now that i totally agree with you on Shell

[teaboy2]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

Heres an even more detailed article in the Daily Mail - Cait Reilly: Unemployed graduate sues ministers for being 'forced' to work in Poundland | Mail Online

Turns out that at the time she was still actually volunteering at her local museum and that she was sucked in the workshop training scheme that forced her and FIVE others to all work stacking shelf at poundland. So pound land are exploited 5 people or xx amount of people in that one shop per week alone. Thats 5 full time jobs that could be given to people.

[shell]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

I wonder just how much "training" she got to stack shelves and how putting "shelf stacker" on her cv is going to help her get a job.

[teaboy2]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

Yeah i can see it now -

1) Open box with stanley blade, being careful to not slice your fingers off as our first aid kit only has plasters that can handle minor cuts, that also happen to fall off when wet. But hey its pound land so everythings cheap here including the plasters.

2) Take out product from box either one or two at a time. Try not to drop them or we will deduct a £1 from your wage for each item dropped. Hey its pound land where tight *******s like that.

3) Place product on shelf, label facing forward, while taking care not to press to hard on shelf as it may collaspe. Hey what do you expect, its pound land and everything in here costs a pound including the shelfs.

4) once box is empty, throw it in neighbouring stores rubbish bin. Hey its pound land, why pay for our own bin when theres one next door.

5) Repeat steps 1 to 4 for each product on the shelve that is in need of replenishing, at these prices they go real quick so it will keep you busy for a while and can be a lot of hard work. But hey were pound land, we are not paying you a wage so we don't care so long as you do as your told so we can fully expolit you during the time your with us.

I think that about sums it up, don't you shell.

Oh i forgot - LEGAL DISCLAIMER:

The above comments are based on humour and not based on facts and in no way represent the true goings on in pound land stores or how they train or treat people working for them or working as part of the governments jobseeker compulsory work scheme that is, in fact, in breach of the coroners and justice act 2009 section 71 and a breach of Article 4 of the human rights convention, signed and ratified by the UK in 1950.

[labman]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

I wonder just how much "training" she got to stack shelves and how putting "shelf stacker" on her cv is going to help her get a job.

Just to be absolutely clear, I am totally sure you mean no disrespect whatsoever to those who stack shelves for a living. It is a useful job, and we'd all be in a mess if nobody did it!

[shell]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

Just to be absolutely clear, I am totally sure you mean no disrespect whatsoever to those who stack shelves for a living. It is a useful job, and we'd all be in a mess if nobody did it!

I have every admiration for anybody that stacks shelves for a living, at least they are out there working. In fact in my younger days I worked in a pound shop, so I know it can be very hard work.

But this lassie has a geology degree and forced unpaid labour disguised as a training scheme is not going to benefit her job prospects. Also to class this as a training scheme is a downright lie. Who is connected to who to get this off the ground. What's the bets poundland is getting a payment for taking these people on a "training scheme". What I would also like to know is if they actually offer anybody a job after 2 weeks, or is it a case of "right your time is up, next please". But then again why would they offer anyone a job when the job centre can supply free labour.

[SpringerSpaniel]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

Surely there is also a legal argument about the National Minium Wage, if you are working in a shop, should the retail company not have to pay you the minimum wage ?

If you are on benefits i) you are getting (much) less than the minimum wage and ii) the government is subsidising companies like Poundland by provoding free labour, surely this is an abuse of public funds to subsidise thier trading ?

The argument that this is a 'training scheme' is ********.

[charitynjw]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

Disgraceful!

It certainly puts that hackneyed old 'Big Mac & fries' joke into perspective!

[shell]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

Usually when companies take on "trainees" from the dole the government pays the company a fee for the "training". So is poundland getting free labour and a payment for taking on the free labour?

[teaboy2]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

Some how i suspect they are being paid some form of subsidy by the government just like the agencies and organtisations that the Job centre sent the unemployed are paid by the government, whom just happen to be the ones that put the unemployed on to these so called job placements.

I remember a few years back when i was on job seekers before starting my own buisness, they tried to send me to one of these agencies, and at the time all i had to travel by train once a week, at my own expense (as it was within minimum distance thing) just to do a bloody job search at the agency. Hell they even tried getting me to sit down and to do a CV with them and to send me on an IT course - Soon told them to f right off, as i had a CV and i am an advanced IT user capable of building a website and a pc from scratch. Hell i knew more about using word spreadsheets etc then they did lol. Anyway i got out of it, by saying its a waste of my time, my money and is not going to help me get work. Off course they threaten the sanctions and i said bring it on, i kicked your arses last time when you refused me jobseekers due to the reason i left work 3 years ago and not being deemed satisfactory a reason, despite the fact i was reclaiming after being made redundant for the job i had had since then. The whole system is a joke, and if you ask me the Job centres should be privatised and run by cooperations who know what people need in order to help them find work.

[strangewayofsavin]

Re: Governments Unemployed Forced Labour on Jobless being tested in court

I can remember YTS, now that was slave labour, but come on get real, we need to stop the ponces, and the illegal claiming of benefits.
The Blairrites and Brownites (for the laymen, the totally useless people who skinted the country, and said statements like "no more boom and bust"), wake up and smell the outgoings.
In order to be successful the books need to report a profit, and recently we have been running at a loss, when you borrow, you must pay back, and paying backs cost's more than you originally borrowed.
In order to get back to square 1, you need to create the same situation as square 1. Limited funds + debt = cut backs in your outgoings, and the stupid amounts going out in benefits (as well as the euro club) need to be reined in.
Everyone will suffer apart from those who know how to play the system