Anti workfare demonstrators closed down two Edinburgh charity shops involved in the
government's exShutting down workfare exploiter Salvation Armyploiting workfare schemes on
Saturday 31st January. Protestors blockaded the entrance to the large Salvation Army shop
on Earl Grey Street with a huge banner: IF YOU EXPLOIT US WE WILL SHUT YOU DOWN. For two
hours the shop was virtually empty. ---- The action then switched to the DEBRA charity
shop on Marchmont Crescent, another user of the compulsory "work-for-your-benefits"
schemes. Demonstrators briefly occupied the shop, then completely blockaded it, the
closure completed by the manager bolting shut the wooden door. Simultaneously protestors
besieged the Salvation Army shop in Broughty Ferry, by Dundee.
Half a dozen police were waiting for the demonstrators at the Salvation Army but were
unable to break the blockade by around 40 protestors. Unity between the sick and
disabled, the unemployed and workers was shown by the banners from Edinburgh Coalition
Against Poverty, the Industrial Workers of the World and Black Triangle, displayed
alongside placards proclaiming NO WORKFARE - NO SANCTIONS - NO AUSTERITY, and STUFF
WORKFARE: NO WAGE SLAVERY: NO DOLE SLAVERY.
"Shut down the Salvation Army workhouse" was the cry from the megaphone, and speeches and
chants emphasised that the battle against workfare was part of the wider international
class struggle against capitalism. Around 500 leaflets were distributed, declaring
"Workfare undermines all workers' wages and conditions and is an attack on waged and
unwaged alike."
SUPPORT FROM PASSERS-BY
Many passers-by expressed support, one man explaining that his partner, who could only
walk with the aid of a stick, was recently told she had to report to the Salvation Army
for forced labour, or lose her benefits. The Salvation Army uses the free labour of
unemployed people compelled to work for their benefits on the Mandatory Work Activity
scheme, run locally by Learndirect. It also is a major player in the Work Programme,
whereby even sick and disabled people can be forced to work for nothing or face having
their disability benefits cut. This action is the latest in a series of demos against the
Salvation Army - last year local shop managers claimed they no longer participated in
Mandatory Work Activity but in the last few weeks claimants have revealed to ECAP that the
Sally Army are indeed still involved.
Anti workfare blockade of DEBRA in Marchmont, Edinburgh
The demonstrators targetted DEBRA as claimants have told ECAP about their use of Mandatory
Work Activity, run by Learndirect. Protestors blockaded their Stockbridge shop in
December, after which DEBRA promised to discuss the issue at their UK-wide Senior
Management Team. However the DEBRA bosses merely re-iterated their weak excuses for
participating in the exploiting schemes. Now they know - if you exploit us, we will shut
you down.
RESIST TOGETHER
Esther McDonald of ECAP said: "We think the action was very successful. We urge all
claimants to contact us and get involved in resisting workfare, sanctions, the attacks on
sick and disabled claimants and the whole disgusting war on the poor. If every workfare
placement was met by even a small demo then workfare could not continue. Waged or unwaged,
we are all under attack and need to resist together. Collective direct action can make
austerity unworkable."
Saturday shoppers in Broughty Ferry were met with a picket outside the Salvation Army
shop. Scottish Unemployed Workers' Network activists handed out hundreds of leaflets
explaining that the Salvation Army uses people who are unemployed and are forced to work
for no pay or lose their benefits. Alongside 'end slave labour' and similar slogans,
placards included biblical texts such as 'the labourer is worthy of his reward' (1 Timothy
5:18)
Sarah Glynn, secretary of the SUWN, explained:'Many big employers have been shamed into
stopping this exploitation and over 500 charities have signed an agreement to 'Keep
Volunteering Voluntary' and not participate in Government workfare schemes. But so far the
Salvation Army seems happy to go on exploiting the very people they were set up to help.
The SUWN is planning further protests in front of the Salvation Army and other exploiters
of forced labour ..."
Employment: a prison of stolen time... Stuff Workfare....
MORE INFO
Video of Edinburgh demo at Salvation Army
The Edinburgh demos were organised by ECAP and the IWW:
ECAP www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk ecap@lists.riseup.net
https://www.facebook.com/edinburghagainstpoverty (includes photos of the demos) and ECAP
on twitter
IWW www.iww.org.uk eastscotland@iww.org.uk
Other participants included Black Triangle and Glasgow Anarchist Collective (GAC Facebook
includes photos and videos of Saturdays protest -thanks to GAC for two of photos here)
==
Dundee protest (Scottish Unemployed Workers Network facebook)
Actions against workfare are happening round Britain - see www.boycottworkfare.org
Keep Volunteering Voluntary
==
Info on resisting workfare here and here
Guide to resisting sanctions
The right to be accompanied to benefits interviews
This right was attacked by managers at Arbroath Job Centre who on 29 January called the
police to arrest a Scottish Unemployed Workers Network activist accompanying a claimant.
Solidarity demo at Arbroath Job Centre 5th February at 1pm. More info at
https://www.facebook.com/scottishunemployedworkersnetwork
==
Making austerity unworkable in Scotland: From Yes to Action
==
Tell Debra and the Salvation Army that they should keep volunteering voluntary and pull
out of workfare -
DEBRA contact details
Salvation Army in Edinburgh Salvation Army UK contact details
==
Reblogged from our friends at Edinburgh Coalition against Poverty (ECAP).
http://edinburghanarchists.noflag.org.uk/2015/02/anti-workfare-protestors-shut-down-edinburgh-charity-shops/
Home »
» (en) Britain, EDINBURGH ANARCHIST FEDERATION - ANTI-WORKFARE PROTESTORS SHUT DOWN EDINBURGH CHARITY SHOPS