Work? What work? Work programme failing as economy tanks

With the DWP’s own figures out today and a startling figure whatever you think of the pro’s and con’s to the work programme has seen only 3.53% of those who were enrolled on the work programme in finding employment. That is staggering what a huge fail by this government and the previous gov who brought in the programme to help get people back to work. It’s clear to me at the time and also now that you can’t get people into jobs that do not exist. The right scream benefit scroungers and work shy but its clear there simply isn’t the jobs out there for people to get into. • Work Programme was launched nationally on the 1 June 2011 and replaced Flexible New Deal. • Work Programme official statistics on outcomes were released for the first time at 9.30 on 27 November 2012 by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). • The latest Work Programme official statistics on referrals and attachments were released on 7th November 2012. Work Programme Official Statistics The latest official statistics on Work Programme include figures to the end of July 2012. Key points from the latest release are: • The total number of job outcomes paid to providers from 1st June 2011 to the end of July 2012 is 31 thousand; • The total number of referrals and attachments to the Work Programme from 1st June 2011 to the end of July 2012 are 878 thousand and 837 thousand respectively Just 3.7% of people referred to workfare found work and just 2.3% kept jobs. This backs up the socialist party and Youth fight for jobs views at the time that we still need real jobs that pay a living wage for young and old people to live on. 0 hours contracts which I know many people on are not sustainable and are unreliable and poorly paid. If this is the Tories idea of getting the economy moving again there is real trouble ahead. The poor figures are more indication of a government in denial about its strategy of cuts and austerity. The work programme was never designed to get people back to work it has been used as a stick to beat the unemployed with and to demonise them as scroungers if they fail to get work and remain on benefits. It’s an awful system and something which capitalism loves your unpaid labour for nothing this is pure gold to a capitalist not even having to pay for their workers subsistence. Quite clearly we need to demand real jobs with a living wage, socially useful jobs that can help meet people needs not dead end jobs which give you nothing at the end of it.

The degrading of young people in society

So often we hear that young people are apathetic and not interested in the world around them. Since i have been heavily involved in politics and socialist politics in particular i have seen nothing of the sort. I have wittnessed a wide layer of young people wishing for a change in the way things are and a willingness to do something about it.

Only just before the student demonstrations against tuitian fees in december 2010 many news agencies of the capitalist pursuasion were making out no young people were interested in what was going on at the time.

How wrong could they be with up to 50 thousand plus on a march against tuitian fees and education cuts and attacks on young people as a whole hit London that year.

Since then young people have lead the way in the movements against this financial crisis. Showing a lead for trade unions and the labour movement to follow.

I am only 23 myself but i already have huge respect and solidarity for those younger than myself who for the first time are facing a worsening situation and will actually face a worse situation than their parents.

Children growing up today do not have a clue waht they are set to face with deeping youth unemployment and further education more a dream than a reality for many now
what is the future for many young people ?

Well youth fight for jobs along at www.youthfightforjobs.com and on twitter @youthfight4jobs are organising around the workfare scheme at the moment. Focusing their attacks on companies who wish to exploit young people paying them nothing just so they have a job but yet get paid nothing for it only recieving their benifits which they should get anyway.

All this results in a severe degrading of young peple and a feeling that we dont need young people we'll just make the older workers work longer in their jobs but pay them less.

Its not on, and youth fight for jobs aswell as others campaign for real jobs for young people , a reintroduction of EMA , free education for all and a mass job system paying decent socially useful wages for all to live on.