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(it’s not satire – it’s workfare!)
Only someone very naive could believe private firms are participating in the government’s workfare scheme because they want to provide work experience for unemployed people out of the goodness of their own hearts and not as a way of reducing their wage bills by using forced labour at taxpayers’ expense.
But ask any of them and they’ll swear the workfare people they’ve taken on are extra to their requirements and are not – repeat not – replacing jobs they would normally have had to pay someone a proper wage to do.
Well. It looks like Homebase have accidentally let the cat out of the bag.
Here’s a poster currently displayed on the wall in the manager’s office of Homebase Haringey – which clearly shows the company is using workfare as a means to reduce their payroll costs:
This is particularly interesting, as Homebase have recently been lying to telling the public they’re not participating in workfare at all. See my previous post about that here:
Homebase are so embarrassed about using workfare – they’re reduced to lying about it
Looks like Homebase just can’t stop themselves telling porky pies about workfare, doesn’t it?
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Related articles by Tom Pride:
Salvation Army denies existence of Workfare scheme it participates in (no – not satire)
Victory as online campaign forces Sue Ryder off Workfare scheme
Sue Ryder executives looking to profit from the privatisation of NHS services
The Sue Ryder charity and its sinister Orwellian doublethink
Admit it UK charities – you were conned by Cameron and his so-called ‘Big Society’ garbage
Cameron’s Big Society – TOFFS paying SPIVS to rip off PLEBS
A4e given over 45 million of taxpayers money – to give classes on using toilet paper
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Please feel free to comment – you don’t need to register and I’m extremely minimal with the moderating – so please go ahead.
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@TOM well f*cking DONE top marks..glad to see you are are still on the ball mate..
btw more tory double speak here:
more from ‘straight talking commonsense disability is a lifestyle choice David Nuttall MP
hes joined esther mcvey werkin class tories fan club..
“As someone who came from what was a typically Northern working class background I firmly believe that there are many misconceptions about the Conservative Party only been for the rich and well off. I believe that nothing could be further from the truth. The Conservative Party is at its best when it is setting out a clear vision how people can improve their position through hard work with the Government taking less of their hard earned money.”
AND:
“Businesses need confidence to invest and continue to recruit more new employees. By continuing to reduce the rate of corporation tax down to a single rate of 20% and by cutting Employers National Insurance Contributions by £2,000 plus a raft of other measures businesses will know that Government is on their side”
SO MR NUTTALL whose side are YOU on?
also proof that mastercard are behind the social fund smart card scam;
http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Power_of_prepaid_-_web.pdf?1359476379
btw what happned with previous B&M blog? PAGE NOT FOUND..
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I see that DWP have brought in another bod to oversee the failed universal credit shambles that is not exactly on track..Howard Shiplee from O Rourke Laing…could this be the same company that built the Olympic stadium and won contract (thanks boris) for Cross rail?
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Reblogged this on kickingthecat.
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Well done Tom for exposing the perfidy and mendacity of Homebase.
As with many of these issues the answer is in the hands of the consumer; boycott these stores until they agree to conduct their business in an ethical manner. Boycotts do work which is why people such as yourself are so vital to get the news out there as the mainstream media remains firmly in the hands of the same people who are exploiting the rest of us. Wherever possible support your local stores.
Once they see their activities are having an effect on their bottom line they should, if they have any sense, change tack. After all, reduced profits together with bad publicity are hated by the business community
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The private sector only values what it pays for.
If the state is paying for labour hours then it should be using them for the public good. The private sector should have to fight for labour: remember that competition is good.
Make sure you ask Labour why its job proposals continue to subsidise private profit.
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Any vague info on the source of this?
… assuming it’s real.
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Paul – protecting your sources is the first rule of journalism. Didn’t you know that?
But don’t worry, if it’s not real I assure you Homebase will sue the arse off me.
But they won’t because it is.
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Yes I know. That’s why I specified “vague info”, rather than ask for a copy of the person’s passport.
Your response seems unnecessarily defensive. It’s perfectly reasonable to ask about a source – especially with such little info given.
There are a number of reasons to question it’s authenticity – not least of which is the fact that I could upload a poster exactly like this, and nobody would be any wiser to the fact I knocked it up in Photoshop 10 minutes earlier.
Whether anybody gets “sued” is far from my concern. People being misled is what’s important. That’s not to say I believe it is fake – only that there’s nothing to confirm it isn’t.
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there are other examples of where its clear that companies take on workfare as free labour…this is just one.. added to which why is it that companies who signed up to it all pulled out following protest and exposure?…i think you are just trying to muddy the waters a bit…good try but it doesnt work
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Bobchewie, why would I want to do that? I am anti-workfare too.
But my point is still valid. It is possible to be on your side and ask for more info. too. It would be foolish to take everything at face value.
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i have answerd your question. there is also testimoney from ppl who are quite well informed about these matters..
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Reblogged this on Teesside Solidarity Movement.
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Bobchewie, you have not answered my question.
All you said is there are other examples. I know this. I follow the campaign, and actively contribute to it. I am one of those well informed. The fact other things are real does not confirm this is real.
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‘answered your question’ am i on trial?
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Apart from anything else, their products are crap.
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I don’t understand. Those were your words I used.
I’m not here to argue and mess up Tom’s post with loads of comments. Please just let me wait for his response.
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If this is real, they have a brass neck,best to keep away from their stores,no chance of encouraging slavery if we don’t spend our hard earned there
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So… Is this poster one distributed by Homebase, or the Goverment?
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Pingback: A poster from a Hombase manager’s office | Autodespair
Paul – no problem. I’d question it too. However I’m sure you understand I can’t say who my source is.
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Yes, of course. It was more an inquiry into how reliable they are. Or maybe to get an idea – e.g. if they were an employee, or somebody on a placement. Or simply just a visitor who snuck in.
As you say “not satire – just workfare”, but it’s the sort of thing I’d create as satire – because it’s so unbelievable that, if you hadn’t suggested it was real, I’d have just thought “ha, good one”.
If you vouch for it’s authenticity because you trust the person and it’s been given to you as “real” then fair enough.
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Reblogged this on The Greater Fool and commented:
Proof that Workfare is nothing but exploitation of people in order to boost profits by not paying wages.
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Reblogged this on Natalie Elizabeth Beech.
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Same goes for poundstretcher, I specifically asked them if they participated in the governments workfare to work scheme and was told categorically that they didn’t I have very recently found out that they do take on slave labour ( workfare) its only management who actually get paid
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As much as I dislike workfare I am afraid this interpretation would not stand up to analysis. It says nothing about reducing payroll, only about supplementing working hours. It is more of a positive spin to get managers on board with the idea if they thought it was more trouble than it was worth.
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thats utter bollocks….
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it said no payroll costs very clearly
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@nuggy yeah it does..perhaps next we will be told it was just ‘ a joke’..
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That is a very good point! Well spotted.
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dont talk crap….
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If you are unable to understand the point he was making, then fair enough. Not all of us find it easy to be objective.
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the only point hes making is to deny..he and you are talking bolocks
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He is quite correctly pointing out that the poster says nothing about reducing payroll costs – only about adding extra staff, for no extra payroll cost.
To infer that the poster is suggesting paid workers will be reduced is a matter of interpretation and/or speculation – not an absolute.
He and I do not disagree that a reduction in staff could occur as a result of this – only that the poster itself does not actually state this. What it DOES state is still wrong – “you can have free staff” – but under scrutiny, it can not be proven (at all) that the intention of this poster is to reduce paid hours.
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willfully ignorant
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You haven’t read a word I’ve said. Your attitude and inability to question or analyse anything, or understand a perfectly good explanation, is a lot more indicative of ignorance than an objective point of view which is open to multiple possibilities.
People like you are no use to a cause which, itself, is based on questioning what has been laid before us.
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I see that DWP have brought in another bod to oversee the failed universal credit shambles that is not exactly on track..Howard Shiplee from O Rourke Laing…could this be the same company that built the Olympic stadium and won contract (thanks boris) for Cross rail?
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Tom-The Guardian mentions this but you name is sadly absent-Shame!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/apr/06/homebase-criticised-work-experience-claims?CMP=twt_gu#
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This is not the first time the Guardian have stolen one of my stories and refused to give me credit.
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Homebase steals money from us-The Guardian steals stories from you-The world is certainly not fair Tom (there again I never thought it was ).
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@sturdyAlex Is onto it Tom And quite bloody right too
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Cheers Andrew. The Guardian have sent me an apology for omitting the link. Mind you, I have to say it’s not the first time the’y omitted to mention they got a story from me.
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@TOM Pride and all.. has this govt gone mad? Now I see in Daily Excess that DWP will grab your wages if they find you are ‘moonlighting’ ie working whilst claiming benefits..well what will that mean? if they do that you will in effect be working for you benefits since you no longer have wages…your job has in effect become a form of workfare.
Either that or you get fired which will put you back on the dole..
how the hell will the grab your wages? write to your boss telling him not to pay you or ask him to send your wages to him or just nick it out of your account.? so banks and DWP collude?..
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‘typo: send your wages to ‘them (DWP) sorry.
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i offer stories to bloggers too..(whinge) sometimes they use them…
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@RWFWD this is getting too weird cos that post matches exactly word for word mine..wtf is going on??
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wtf is your problem? i question practically everything..and look further for back up or refute..is your name muddy waters?
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And sometimes we even remember to credit you Bob.. 😉
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@tom pride aww bless yeah you do..(a bit of nagging helps 🙂 ) why has someone on here reposted my comment about shiplee word for word? oh well the world gone nuts..
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@tom pride it looks like mastercard DID have input into the smartcard social fund after all..i wonder if they got the contract to produce it?
http://www.demos.co.uk/files/Power_of_prepaid_-_web.pdf?1359476379
“We would first and foremost like to extend our thanks to
MasterCard for providing the support that made this research
possible”
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This may have come from the wall of a Homebase manager’s office, but it clearly isn’t an official document issued to branches to whip up interest in taking on work experience staff. It’s something knocked up on a PC by an employee. No official branding, no contact details, and that isn’t how you spell programme!
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One concern I have with current Workfare is that the Govt. may now be entering big businesses and charities into their programme by stealth. Due to the negative feedback and bad publicity that Workfare has brought upon many of those taking part, operating by stealth may not be that far from the truth.
The question is: How many more like Homebase are out there?
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@BJ (NOTTS) councils are introducing workfare as a requirement to pay off any debts..eg rents..
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and you would know this would you?
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If a major high street business like Home Retail Group has an HR department that really does issue official communications to branches using badly laid out, anonymous and misspelt flyers then we might as well give up hope as a country now.
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As with a previous contributor, I’m not supporting the cack-handed implementation of the workfare scheme, just the authenticity of the supposed ‘official’ document.
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obviously all managers are good at spelling are they? program is a word that is often misspelt..tv program / programme) so since its not .therefore blah blah blah..
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‘official’ …haha…thats from ‘jim’…
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Large businesses don’t send out official internal documents without references. If all you can provide is a bit of paper anyone could have produced on a PC with no official branded documentation to back it up from Home Retail/Homebase (who have issued an official denial) then you are just pissing in the wind.
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and you know this because…
managers are like jumped up little hitlers all trying to please high command..if they can get away with something then high command approves, if they feck up then high command can deny it..
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Jim – Homebase have already admitted the poster is genuine and they were using it internally:
– “The DIY retailer confirmed that a photo of more than a dozen unemployed jobseekers from the government’s work experience programme, captioned, “Would 750 hours with no payroll costs benefit YOUR store?” was produced by company staff for an internal discussion” -Guardian
So you can stop being so sceptical now about the document and start criticising Homebase’s cynical use of taxpayers’ money to exploit the unemployed to boost their profits. Can’t you?
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Homebase lets cat out of bag.. a fascinating, though sadly expected, if not predictable, chain of events reported here. I have, for many months now, looked at various sites campaigning against workfare, and have frequently come across the idea (which has, up to now, being just an idea) that motivation for employers is exactly what has happened here. In 1 way perhaps their response is understandable .. if you were running a business your biggest cost is cost of wages bill (ie actually hiring people to do the work). So if some idiot MP (like Ian Duncan Smith) comes along and offers to give you an almost unlimited supply of completely free labour, what are you going to do? – you’ll bite his hand off of course & sign up. In present economic climate businesses, even large ones, suffer, to some extent, from same insecurities as rest of us – look at all the big names that have suddenly come under the hammer in the last year alone (HMV being most recent eg). In a climate like that, when govt comes along & gives your chance of free labour, morality of situation is likely to take a back seat. So what am I saying here? Some people may not agree with this, but, perhaps, individual businesses are not entirely to blame here – after all, all they’re doing is reacting to conditions made possible by govt & seeing an opportunity which can benefit them. If we really want to end this, we need to attack the problem at source – ie end the Workfare programme – which will remove the opportunity which businesses are reacting to. To attack the businesses themselves is really only trying to deal second hand with the symptoms of the workfare disease, not the cause.
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They also said: ‘Homebase is committed to recruiting the best people to serve its customers at all times. The company has not signed up to the workfare programme, but, on occasions, works with local organisations to help unemployed people into the workplace. A number of unemployed people have recently joined our Haringey store through JobCentre Plus in a short, voluntary programme, to gain work experience. They are entirely under no obligation to participate, nor will non participation affect any benefits. Colleagues at this store also have not been impacted by this programme in any reduction of hours.’
and
‘the image did not form “wider company policy” and said it was “part of a document which was prepared for use in a single internal meeting to discuss the programme that had operated in that store”.
So although it may have been somewhat tactless, it wasn’t an official company memorandum, would appear to have been lifted from an internal discussion document and has been taken out of context. Many ideas and suggestions get kicked around by business and government for discussion purposes only, with no intention of becoming official policy. It would be interesting to see what the rest of the document said. If that supported the accusations of ‘vulture’ practices then it really would be a story.
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Homebase’s comments about workfare are all proven lies. The people are forced to work or lose all means to survive.
That’s a fact.
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Bobchewie, I have offered fair comments. There is no muddying. You just refuse to accept alternate points of view, despite them not actually conflicting with your own.
You have an unhealthy bias and are blinkered from objectivity.
I replied in a fair and constructive manner. All you offer is short, angry retorts. It is not me who has the problem.
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Holy cow!
As someone has said: “We are all one redundancy or one illness away from Workfare.”
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Reblogged this on MrsMEnotNICE and commented:
Sooooooo Shocking (if only!)
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Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.
Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll
be book-marking and checking back frequently!
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