Well, slave labor has now become a big thing in the UK, with the Job Center's forcing people to work low-end jobs under threat of losing their benefits, it has started to beg the question...'Is this even legal'
They are calling this new scheme "Get Britain Working" and state that its 'Voluntary' yet...if you refuse, you can be deducted money or even have your benefits stopped completely...
Now, for me, this is beyond stupid...they claim this is for work experience because apparently, people on benefits have no experience in anything whatsoever. Now, I can't speak for everybody...but while I have found myself unemployed for any reason, I knew full well that it was not due to me lacking the knowledge...It was actually because there are currently around 22 people applying for every job in the UK...
During this time, I found myself having to claim benefits in order to survive (A man's gotta eat!). Constantly, while registering for benefits, the staff at the Job Center's look down their noses at you, and try everything to deduct how much you are given per week (which is actually less than £55/week for someone my age) - The money you get, really makes life very difficult when you have to run a house, and constantly having people look down on you and belittling you, and being called a "Scrounge" or a "Sponge"
Being on benefits is depressing enough without having the above happen, and some of my friends have been physically laughed at by staff because they wanted a certain job. I myself also got very angry at members of staff when I was asked to remove my hood. My face could be seen clearly and I had JUST come in from the rain, however, the lady sitting next to me, was wearing a Burkah...you know...those things that cover a persons entire face, and to be perfectly honest...gives you no indication of if that person is actually female, or carrying a weapon...Now...thats another point entirely...however it ties in with what I am getting at...which is, Job Center staff thing they are gods gift and that they are better than everybody...they also act like your benefits are paid directly out of their own bank accounts (opposed to the tax that they would have to pay, regardless of my situation) - Personally I found the whole ordeal of going to the Job Center (Even if it was only once a fortnight) very daunting and depressing, because I knew full well, the entire process would leave me feeling twice as down about not being in work, as before I went.
The Job Center's themselves are very horrible places to be...people crammed in to small areas purely so you could be paid a small amount of money every 2 weeks, so you can buy the very basic items you need for survival (Food and Shelter)
I'm digressing a little bit here, so I will move back to my main point...
Why do the government think it is even close to a good idea, to force people into unpaid, full time work? These multi-national companies who are making tens of millions in profits PER DAY are getting staff for nothing...instead of actually needing to post PAYING jobs on the market (Really...If you ran a multi-national and the government said you can have as many staff as you want, for free, would you say no?) - The main problem is, that a whole lot of these people are way over qualified to be stocking shelves, and, because of this, do NOT want to be put in that situation, which inevitably means, they do not want to be there...making for a very depressing workplace, and they will probably end up losing their 'job' because of this, which also means they will have their benefits stopped, and have to basically live on the streets...all because of some stupid new 'scheme'
Seems to be a total catch-22 to me...Work Experience Placements should be personalized for every person who is forced to do it...those who want to end up in job X, should be asked if they would like to go do a work trial in a company who actually DOES that...rather than somebody who wants to work in law enforcement, or maybe even wants to become an artist; being forced to work in a supermarket, stocking shelves...
Very counter productive, very stupid...and I am pretty sure this is actually slave labor (Work for free or you won't be eating tonight)
Anyway...I know this issue is not the typical type for DonationCoder, however, I know no other forum where I will get REAL responses from the public about such a touchy subject
