| Compulsion is the most objectionable aspect of the New Labour government's programmes such as New Deal. Public and Commercial Service union members in the Employment Service are producing literature explaining the case against compulsion for their members who deliver these programmes.
A copy of a leaflet that is going to all union members in Jobcentres throughout Britain is reproduced below: The creation of a new Welfare to Work Agency which will deal with all claimants of working age has recently been announced. The major issues for PCS members will be what type of job will we be doing in the Agency and what type of service will be delivered to claimants. The union believes it is essential that the Agency should be designed to help benefit claimants rather than hound them. The union will not welcome an Agency based on compulsion for all benefit claimants including lone parents, the sick and the disabled. The Union is opposed to compulsion because; Compulsion and benefit sanctions leads to more incidents in offices, assaults against staff as well as increased work pressures and stress for staff. New Deal advisers report that high caseloads is the major reason why "difficult to place" clients are not found jobs. Extra resource for more New Deal advisers to lower caseloads would be far more beneficial than tougher compulsion. Compulsion doesn't work. "compulsion has at best a very limited role in getting people off the dole. If they are better off in work you don't need it: if they are worse off it will be ineffective".
Compulsion isn't needed - thousands of lone parents are participating in the voluntary New Deal for Lone Parents. We support the principle of work but also believe that contributions to society may take other forms than just paid employment, work is not an option for everyone (and is unlikely to be for many of those on benefits), and we must not stigmatise those who are unable to work. Compulsion hits those clients who cannot cope with the system rather than those who are deliberately evading their responsibilities. "people with caring responsibilities, health problems or whose first language is not English are hit particularly hard by sanctions."
Compulsion fails to place a responsibility on the Government and employers to provide quality, well paid and secure employment opportunities. Compulsion has a wider social cost to all of us as citizens. Put simply, a sign-off might produce a JSA saving, however, there is a much bigger cost if a client denied benefit turns to crime and breaks into your house and steals your TV or video! Compulsion doesn't change job seeking behaviour - the vast majority of unemployed people want to work. Opportunities to work and prosper in our society are strongly influenced by where you live and by your ethnic origin.
"The majority of young people had a basic motivation to work which had been diminished by rejection in the labour market and low morale stemming from their unemployment".
The creation of the new Welfare to Work Agency means a discussion about Compulsion is not an abstract one as the union believes it is essential that the union argues that the Agency should be designed to help benefit claimants rather than hound them. Voluntary programmes providing help and support to clients to find work will attract participants as the NDLP shows and provide jobs and promotion opportunities for PCS members. Note: a fuller version is available by e-mail to anyone who requests it from MARTIN@angies.freeserve.co.uk |