The Work Programme New Thread

AP007

grai wrote: »

my last job with Manpower we had to take turns cleaning the switchboards - it was ok but deep down we all knew it was another example of exploitation and of them having us exactly where they wanted us

there's a US professor going around preaching something called predistribution

from what I understand he says there needs to be an overhaul of the entire work system from wages and employee rights

he says apart from America the UK stands out globally as having one of the most demeaning unprotected unregulated and exploitative work forces in the world

thanks maggie

it's ok for the DWP to be pressurising long term unemployed into jobs because they don't want welfare dependency - but they must also take into consideration people are in a no-win situation between dole and slave labour and it has just become a travesty over the last 30 years the more companies have got away with it the worse they have treated people

now they know they can basically do what they like to their staff and the staff have no protection whatsoever

Whats Maggie got to do with it?

In the public sector it would not happen otherwise they would go on strike!

donnajunkie

AP007 wrote: »

yes but like I have said they sign only about 8 in a hour yet at 45 mins each they will see only 8 in a day and I am sure they were a lot more than 8 going back to the JC since there are over 1500 a week at the WP

ok lets say there were 1000 on wp upto end of may. people started to leave in june now the number of people leaving would probably only be between 100 and 200 at the most. of course more and more will be leaving all the time and eventually they wont cope with seeing people every week. when they get to 6 months they will be at the maximum number they have to deal with and it will probably stay at a roughly constant level from then on.

AP007

donnajunkie wrote: »

ok lets say there were 1000 on wp upto end of may. people started to leave in june now the number of people leaving would probably only be between 100 and 200 at the most. of course more and more will be leaving all the time and eventually they wont cope with seeing people every week. when they get to 6 months they will be at the maximum number they have to deal with and it will probably stay at a roughly constant level from then on.

and one JC advisor will only get to see 40 people max a week

grai

AP007 wrote: »

and one JC advisor will only get to see 40 people max a week

Are you thinking that the harrassment will fizzle out just by the sheer weight of numbers? judging by the meeting I had this morning I think what they lack in staff they will make up for in sheer vehemence!

I've never been spoken to the way I was this morning they literally told me "you have to come off benefits"

they are blatantly aggressive and unapologetic - I hope you are right that we will go back to going through the motions because they can't cope with the numbers but after today I'm not optimistic

they have taken it into a completely different league of harrassment

AP007

grai wrote: »

Are you thinking that the harrassment will fizzle out just by the sheer weight of numbers? judging by the meeting I had this morning I think what they lack in staff they will make up for in sheer vehemence!

I've never been spoken to the way I was this morning they literally told me "you have to come off benefits"

they are blatantly aggressive and unapologetic - I hope you are right that we will go back to going through the motions because they can't cope with the numbers but after today I'm not optimistic

they have taken it into a completely different league of harrassment

Yes you will come off JSA when you get a job so how are THEY going to help you????

They wont talk to me like !!!! or I will report them

grai

AP007 wrote: »

Yes you will come off JSA when you get a job so how are THEY going to help you????

They wont talk to me like !!!! or I will report them

yes it's not helping me at all it's just abuse

but there IS only so much I can take - it's not worth it - I'd rather be cleaning offices! On the other hand why should I?

I'll tough it out and get a job on my own terms in my own time - they are not turning me into a slave for their crappy jobsworth targets

KevInChester

Today my advisor at the Job Centre was a massive bully. She tried her very best to sanction me: insinuated I wasn't interested in getting a job, told I wasn't trying hard enough, told that they were going to get tough with me and they'd sanction me if I didn't apply for every single job that they thought I was capable of!, got annoyed at me because the Work Programme contractor hasn't done anything for me. At one point she went down a list of jobs asking why I hadn't applied for any of them... each one she clicked I told her I had, she looked and I was right. She then found one that had been posted just today and said I hadn't applied for that, and why hadn't I done so? I explained it was because I went out early to sign on. Long and short of it, I'm pretty much on the verge of a nervous breakdown, feeling like complete and utter worthless !!!!. I went to the Doctors and have been signed off for a week.... doesn't help much to be honest, got to go back next week.

grai

KevInChester wrote: »

Today my advisor at the Job Centre was a massive bully. She tried her very best to sanction me: insinuated I wasn't interested in getting a job, told I wasn't trying hard enough, told that they were going to get tough with me and they'd sanction me if I didn't apply for every single job that they thought I was capable of!, got annoyed at me because the Work Programme contractor hasn't done anything for me. At one point she went down a list of jobs asking why I hadn't applied for any of them... each one she clicked I told her I had, she looked and I was right. She then found one that had been posted just today and said I hadn't applied for that, and why hadn't I done so? I explained it was because I went out early to sign on. Long and short of it, I'm pretty much on the verge of a nervous breakdown, feeling like complete and utter worthless !!!!. I went to the Doctors and have been signed off for a week.... doesn't help much to be honest, got to go back next week.

can't you ask your doctor to put you on ESA?

that's what I intend to do - I've been on meds for depression for years though so I can just tell my doctor it's too much for me which it is and go on the sick for a few months

and get a job on my own which will be easier anyway - I cant think straight with all this stress and abuse

KevInChester

I asked if it were possible I could be signed off for a month, she said it wasn't at the moment and gave me a sick note for 1 week and that I have to make another appointment to renew it. She said it sounded like bullying and that I should just complain - I told her about how I genuinely can't sleep at night as I am so worried, I just lie back and think how I'd be better off dead.

I'm trying my hardest to find work, I want to work. My last job lasted for just under 6 months, alas it was only ever temporary covering for maternity leave

If I could just get a month or so respite I think I might be able to do something about my situation, can't really sell myself that well when I'm feeling constantly anxious and fearful.

Meds don't really do anything for my depression, only one that helped was Citalopram in conjuction with Buspar, alas they don't like prescribing the latter on the NHS (got it when I used to live in Sweden)

AP007

grai wrote: »

I'll tough it out and get a job on my own terms in my own time - they are not turning me into a slave for their crappy jobsworth targets

But you will only get a cleaning job if
1> you apply for one
2> you get the interview
3> you get the job