• Long-term jobless 'could face compulsory manual labour'
    54 replies, posted
[quote]Long-term benefit claimants could be forced to do compulsory manual labour under proposals being put forward by the government, it has emerged. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith is set to outline plans for four-week placements doing jobs like gardening and litter clearing. "The message will go across - play ball or it is going to be difficult," said Mr Duncan Smith. Details will be unveiled in the Welfare Reform White Paper expected shortly. Under the plan, claimants thought to need 'experience of the habits and routines of working life' could be put on the month long, 30-hour a week placements. Anyone refusing to take part or failing to turn up on time to work could have their £65 Jobseekers' Allowance stopped for at least three months. The Work Activity scheme is said to be designed to flush out claimants who have opted for a life on benefits or are doing undeclared jobs on the side. Continue reading the main story Reports suggest it will target people believed to be sabotaging efforts to get them back into work. The Welfare Reform White Paper, set to be unveiled in the coming week, will set out Mr Duncan Smith's plans for a universal credit to replace the range of benefits currently claimed by the jobless. 'Cycle of dependency' Under the scheme, job advisers would be given powers to require tens of thousands of claimants to take part in community work for charities or local councils. A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: "We will shortly be bringing forward further proposals on how to break the cycle of dependency blighting many of our communities and make sure work always pays." Mr Duncan Smith said his plans were designed to reduce welfare dependency and make work pay. He said: "One thing we can do is pull people in to do one or two weeks' manual work - turn up at 9am and leave at 5pm, to give people a sense of work, but also when we think they're doing other work. "The message will go across; play ball or it's going to be difficult." The UK has 5m people on out-of-work benefits and one of the highest rates of workless households in Europe, with 1.9m children living in homes where no-one has a job.[/quote] Well it seems the government are doing something about the people who have decided that work "isn't for them". But unfortunately, paying them below the minimum wage will most likely open the government up to criticism and/or lawsuits. [b]Source[/b] [url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11704765[/url] [url]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1327385/1-hour-clear-rubbish--new-IDS-blitz-workshy.html[/url] - Daily Mail version for extra drama.
Why don't they do things like WPA and construction projects like hoover dam like they did in the depression?
Sounds like a good idea. You'd think people would have jobs by then. But then again I don't know much about this sort of thing
There are people out there who simply refuse to work because they leach off of welfare, compensation etc.
[QUOTE=Adius Shadow;25909084]There are people out there who simply refuse to work because they leach off of welfare, compensation etc.[/QUOTE] Yeah that's why I said that it is probably a good idea.
[QUOTE=shatteredwindow;25909009]Why don't they do things like WPA and construction projects like hoover dam like they did in the depression?[/QUOTE] Doing those sort of things requires the workforce to have the necessary skills, which requires them to partake in training, which would cost money. The government isn't going to consider doing something like that when cost cutting measures have been implemented throughout all government departments to tackle the deficit.
They did it during the depression. Oh I guess your right, they have unions and stuff, so now they have to be trained.
I guess this is better than nothin
in new zealand if you're on social welfare for long enough they find you a job to do for 6 months and if you dont do it they stop giving you money.
This has potential, it could get those damn freeloaders, who have the capability to work, but don't anyway, to stop being a drain on the welfare system. And it could find the currently unemployed a source of income. However, I do see issues with this, if the labor needs skill, it could have initial severe costs, but this should only be a short term problem.
[QUOTE=Adius Shadow;25909084]There are people out there who simply refuse to work because they leach off of welfare, compensation etc.[/QUOTE] No comrade, they are simply living the glorious communist dream! :downs:
Um, if a freeloader refuses to get a job, wouldn't it be easier to just cut them off from welfare than to spend money training them for a new job and forcing them to attend it?
[QUOTE=sgtshock;25909660]Um, if a freeloader refuses to get a job, wouldn't it be easier to just cut them off from welfare than to spend money training them for a new job and forcing them to attend it?[/QUOTE] nobody wants homeless people everywhere
[QUOTE=sgtshock;25909660]Um, if a freeloader refuses to get a job, wouldn't it be easier to just cut them off from welfare than to spend money training them for a new job and forcing them to attend it?[/QUOTE] yeah it would be easier but that doesnt mean it would be better.
[QUOTE=sgtshock;25909660]Um, if a freeloader refuses to get a job, wouldn't it be easier to just cut them off from welfare than to spend money training them for a new job and forcing them to attend it?[/QUOTE] That's why the government aren't giving them "real" jobs at all. Litter picking and gardening don't require that much skill nor training.
[QUOTE=Reaver1991;25909716]nobody wants homeless people everywhere[/QUOTE] True, but ideally if you cut them off from their source of free money, they'll be incentivized to get off their asses and get a job, rather than just move out onto the streets. Though if they can't find a job I can see that being a problem. [QUOTE=Shocky;25909775]That's why the government aren't giving them "real" jobs at all. Litter picking and gardening don't require that much skill nor training.[/QUOTE] Fair enough. Though the idea of the government forcing someone, even a freeloader, to do a manual labor, just makes me a little uneasy. (Besides criminals, of course.)
This is counterproductive. The vast majority of people on welfare [b]aren't[/b] freeloaders and something like this is just going to take time away from them that they would usually be spending either getting an education, helping friends and family, or searching for a job.
[QUOTE=ZekeTwo;25910151]This is counterproductive. The vast majority of people on welfare [b]aren't[/b] freeloaders and something like this is just going to take time away from them that they would usually be spending either getting an education, helping friends and family, or searching for a job.[/QUOTE] Do you know a good number of people on welfare personally? I know at least a dozen, turns out they're major pot smokers and they get jobs under the table to pay for their weed. Maybe it's just because how we met, but the point remains.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;25910232]Do you know a good number of people on welfare personally? I know at least a dozen, turns out they're major pot smokers and they get jobs under the table to pay for their weed. Maybe it's just because how we met, but the point remains.[/QUOTE] I know five. Four of them are currently taking some form of post-secondary but are unable to find even part-time work, the fifth has an injury that isn't being covered by worker's compensation because it was his negligence that got him injured. He definitely isn't a "freeloader" though, just an idiot.
What about those who do not want a job?
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;25910232]Do you know a good number of people on welfare personally? I know at least a dozen, turns out they're major pot smokers and they get jobs under the table to pay for their weed. Maybe it's just because how we met, but the point remains.[/QUOTE] You don't happen to live in california do you
[QUOTE=Lambeth;25910445]You don't happen to live in california do you[/QUOTE] I live in Toronto Canada.
That's not really fair, not to mention unethical. It's not like everyone that's living off of welfare is doing so because they want to.
Good, I hope other nations will follow suit.
Brilliant idea.
y u all like this
[QUOTE=sgtshock;25909660]Um, if a freeloader refuses to get a job, wouldn't it be easier to just cut them off from welfare than to spend money training them for a new job and forcing them to attend it?[/QUOTE] Cut them off welfare, gain homeless person. Invest money you would of spent paying dole in long term into education, gain productive member of society. Give them plenty of options so you aren't forcing them to do something that is shit but at least make it a government job instead of a "you're on the dole so you're the governments slave" job. If you can find work for them, give them work, not shitty forced work.
first I was like FUCK NO :fuckoff: , then I was like hmmmm this may work for the lazy asses in america, then I realized it was in the U.K. :smith: we need this initiative in america.
[QUOTE=ZekeTwo;25910151]This is counterproductive. The vast majority of people on welfare [b]aren't[/b] freeloaders and something like this is just going to take time away from them that they would usually be spending either getting an education, helping friends and family, or searching for a job.[/QUOTE] If the person is a full time student, then the government recognises this and wouldn't do something like forced work, based off the way that Centrelink in Australia generally works (despite the fact they don't have a forced labour scheme such as this). Also, this is for "long-term", which is typically deemed to be six months or over. If you can't find a job in that time, you're very likely doing something wrong.
Oh dear I better get a job soon
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