29.02.1996

Jobs not Job Seekers Allowance

In brief

This October the Tories will abolish unemployment benefit and income support, replacing them with the Job Seekers Allowance. This will amount to state theft on a massive scale - instead of unemployment benefit for a year you will only get contributory JSA for six months. So, who has got all our national insurance contributions then?

JSA will amount to yet another assault on the living conditions of the working class. Young workers aged between 18 and 24 are being particularly victimised, as they will receive just 20% benefit under JSA. The sick and disabled are also going to suffer under the new Incapacity Benefit, which will have much harsher guidelines.

Benefit claimants are soon to be experimented upon. Southall Job Centre is about to implement a ‘JSA trial’, which will see workers being forced into appallingly low paid jobs. The local trades council has called a protest picket at 1.00pm on March 7, at Southall Job Centre, 68 The Broadway. Benefit workers themselves should support this action.

Danny Hammill