News

UK-wide day of action against workfare – Saturday 3rd March

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’s already actions planned in thirty seven locations across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England (with others still planning!). Why not visit your high street for some fun and peaceful action as well?

So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice – Tescos, Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, and Topshop to name but a few. We’ll have the latest details on each of the companies online soon. Get a group together, make a plan, and head to the streets.

Workfare means that those who need welfare are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of a living wage, they receive only JSA – a tiny £53 a week for the under-25s – far below minimum wage.

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, Sainsburys and TK Maxx have all 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!

Details of actions:

  • Aberdeen – 12 noon outside M&S. See Facebook event here.
  • Belfast – Name & Shame Workfare/Steps to Work Tour. Meeting outside Tesco Metro, Royal Avenue at 2pm. See Facebook event.
  • Birmingham – 11.30am outside Poundland on Union Street. Facebook event.
  • Brighton – Brighton Benefits Campaign are picketing Tesco in Jubilee Street (opposite Jubilee Square) from 12 noon. See Facebook event. Brighton Youth Fight for Jobs & Education are picketing Tesco in St James’s Street Kemp Town from 11.30am.See Facebook event.
  • Bristol – 13.00 at BHS. (not 12 noon at College Green) More info.
  • Cambridge – Meet 1.30 at the Cambridge Tescos on Newmarket Road.
  • Cardiff – 2pm Outside Poundland on Queen Street. See Facebook event.
  • Dundee – Meeting outside Boots in the City Centre at 1pm. More info.
  • Edinburgh – 12 noon, Hunter Square, Edinburgh, all welcome. See facebook event.
  • Glasgow – 1pm, March 3rd, Top Shop 229 Buchanan Street. See Facebook event.
  • Leeds – 12 noon until 3pm. Location tbc. See Facebook event.
  • Leicester – Leicester Right to Work and Leicester Uncut will be doing a ‘Tour of
    Leicester’ visiting as many companies participating in the workfare scheme as possible … meet city centre at 12 location to be advised … keep an eye on our FB pages.
  • Lincoln – Picket, protest, occupy. Meeting 12 noon on High Street. More details to come.
  • Liverpool – Take action with UK Uncut, 1pm until 4pm. Meet Next to Nowhere Social Centre, Bold Street, Liverpool. More info.
  • London, Brixton – 12 noon, Acre Lane Tesco.
  • London, Ealing – 1pm, The Arcadia Centre 50/52 Broadway, Ealing W5 2ND. See Facebook event.
  • London, Islington – Meet at Angel Station at 10am. See Facebook event.
  • London, Oxford Street – Meet outside BHS on Oxford Street, 11:30am. More info and download leaflet for the Oxford St action.
  • London, Hackney – See Facebook event.
  • London, Kingston – 1pm, Outside Starbucks at the top of Kingston High Street, near the junction with Eden Street. KT1 1NY. See Facebook Event
  • London, Lewisham – Join UK Uncut at 1pm, Lewisham High Street More Information.
  • London, Walthamstow – 12 noon outside the Nat West bank in Walthamstow Town Square.
  • Manchester – 12pm at 60 Market Street. More details here.
  • Margate – 11am at Occupy Thanet site. Facebook event here.
  • Milton Keynes – 1pm at McDonalds, MK Central. Facebook event here.
  • Newcastle – 12pm outside Eldon Square. See Facebook event.
  • Norwich – 2pm outside Primark, Haymarket,Norwich, Norfolk NR2 1QD
  • Nottingham – 12pm outsideWilkinsons, Parliament Street See Facebook event.
  • Oxford – Join Solidarity Federation in a Thames Valley action. Assemble 12 noon at Carfax Tower before moving on to selected target(s). More Information.
  • Paisley – Meet on the High Street at 11.30am at the old Littlewoods site
  • Portsmouth – Meet at Fountain, Commercial Rd, Portsmouth, Saturday 3 March for workfare protest.
  • Rotherham – Meet 12.30 at MacDonalds.
  • Southampton – Meet 12 noon Southampton Precinct near Primark.
  • Sheffield – Meet Devonshire Green, Sheffield, 1pm. We will meet at 1pm and decide on a target. See Facebook event.
  • Swansea – 12 o’clock, McDonald’s, Castle Square.
  • Tunbridge Wells – Meet at the Millennium clock in Tunbridge Wells at 12 noon.
  • Worthing, West Sussex – Meet 1pm at Bandstand in Montague Place, Montague Street, for Workfare Walk round town centre. Organised by Occupy Worthing.
  • York – Meet at 1pm, Parliament Street Fountain.

Let us know what you’re planning. The campaign is UK-wide!

 

Meet at the Millennium clock in Tunbridge Wells at 12 noon