(en) Britain, Haringey Council and Groundwork picketed over Workfare

Yesterday (17/03/2013) North London Solidarity Federation picketed the Homes For Haringey 
offices in Wood Green and the depot for Groundwork, in Tottenham, who are employed by the 
Council to provide gardening and improvement services on estates in the area. The 
demonstration was against Groundwork's use of workfare; unemployed people are forced by 
Jobcentres to do the work. They are not being paid for it and they can't refuse or they 
would lose their benefits for two months. ---- There are over 6,500 people looking for 
work in Tottenham and this number keeps on increasing. The area has the highest 
unemployment in London. What is Haringey Council doing? Hundreds of people providing 
essential services have been made redundant and now they are being replaced by unpaid workers.

At the same time the council is pouring ?3.5 million into sketchy subsidies to businesses. 
The council clearly have both the money and the work that needs doing so why can't they 
employ people directly?

Workfare doesn't help the unemployed . Each of those 'volunteers' is doing what could be a 
paid job for a Tottenham resident. Those in work feel the pressure too, as their jobs can 
be easily replaced with forced unpaid work, at a saving to the employer. This is why we 
have to fight against it together.

We need to tell Homes for Haringey and Groundwork to stop using workfare in Tottenham and 
we'll keep coming back until they do!

This action was also in support of Boycott Workfare's National Week of Action against 
Workfare. See their website for more local actions. We'll be holding actions on Saturday 
the 23rd of March starting at Superdrug in Leytonstone and Poundland in Wembley.