This week?s short-notice-hey-demo post features this call-out for action against Leith Job
Centre?s move to ?Sanctions Targets? ---- Thursday, 10am at the bottom of Great Junction
Street. Press release below: DEMONSTRATORS DENOUNCE ?SANCTIONS TARGETS? AT LEITH JOB
CENTRE ---- Claimants and anti cuts campaigners are set to demonstrate at Leith Job Centre
on Thursday 11th July in a protest against ?sanctions targets? set by a Job Centre
manager. ---- ?A new manager at Leith Jobcentre has told staff that 30% of claimants are
not meeting the conditions for receiving benefits ? the clear implication is that these
claimants should be sanctioned, that is have their benefits stopped. In reality this is a
return to the supposedly outlawed practice of setting sanctions targets, and is totally
unfair and unjust,? said Ethel MacDonald of Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty.
The demonstration is part of the Boycott Workfare Week of Action against the government?s
controversial ?work-for-your-benefits? schemes and is in opposition to the whole
government austerity programme.
?People are really suffering because of sanctions. Right now we are opposing sanctions
imposed on a disabled claimant who is having to live on ?26.05p per week because he was
too ill to go to an appointment with the Ingeus workfare provider. What?s more, most
claimants who are sanctioned have their money stopped completely, for from one month to
three years.?
The protestors state that they will challenge sanctions, and issue a call to direct
action. ?You have the right to challenge sanctions. Ask for the decision to be reviewed
and appeal against it. If need be, we can alert our Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty
solidarity network to have a peaceful demo INSIDE the Job Centre. ?
The demonstrators point to a government press release stating that they have set up ?hit
squads? in all Job Centres to presurise claimants returning from workfare providers. ?The
government have openly declared war on the unemployed?, say ECAP. ?We know that in Leith
Job Centre they have set up such a ?hit squad? and some officials are misinforming
claimants that they have to allow the DWP to monitor their online job search. This is a
lie and we urge claimants to stand up for their right to protect their privacy.?
Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty have also been leafleting the Leith Job Centre
workers, appealing for workers to join claimants in opposing cuts, sanctions and workfare.
?Some Job Centre workers are themselves facing unemployment, as now they only get
temporary contracts, and could easily find themselves on the other side of the counter,?
explained Ethel MacDonald.
?If we are not to be condemned to years of austerity we need to take a stand,? said Ethel
MacDonald of ECAP. ?Enough is enough! Why should the vast majority suffer because of
the greed of a minority of speculators, bankers and super-rich, and the chaotic nature of
their profit-driven system? It?s time for action to assert that people?s needs must be
the priority, not money. We can?t rely on any of the political parties, we must organise
at the grass-roots, through people power.?
The protest is from 10am till 12 noon on Thursday 11th at the Commercial Street Job
Centre, Leith.
Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty ecap@lists.riseup.net
www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk Greater Leith Against the Cuts
www.edinburghagainstcuts.org.uk
Boycott Workfare www.boycottworkfare.org
Government press release announcing Job Centre ?hit squads? and detailing sanctions
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-details-of-post-work-programme-support
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