anarcho-syndicalism

The Glasgow Anarchist Dayshool was good with a lot of interesting discussions. I hope there is more of them.

If there are any Glaswegians reading this, or anybody with an interest, I have a suggestion about how to broaden our activities.

Speaking to a few folk at the meeting I was aware that they are being hassled by a organisation called Working Links, which now deals with dole claims. I have been aware of this organisation since when I was a volunteer at Citizens' Advice Bureau.

This is all part of a campaign by the government to privitise the dole.

Glasgow is a designated 'Employment Zone', this means that because of the high employment rates in the city, the government can contract unemployment claims to private companies, like Working Links, Wiseman, and others.

If a person has been unemployed for 18 months he is automatically referred to one of these companies. These companies can then provide training, or set up job interviews. They normally work from a list of supermarket, call centre and other low paid jobs which a claimant can practically walk into with no experience. The aim of these companies is to provide cheap labour for sweatshops, and to fiddle the figures by tackling long-term unemployment by putting people into short-term work.

The first stage with Working Links is more informal, but when a claimant reaches the second stage the company can become more aggressive and bullying in their methods of trying to push people into work. They actually have the power to sanction people and stop their money if a claimant refuses a interview, or refuses any other type of help. The advisers are also under pressure to put a quota of people into work.

Glasgow is the only place in Scotland that is a employment zone, but they have them in Brighton and Middlesborough. I know of people through CAB who actually approached the SSP about this issue but they were not interested.

What we have is a large body of people in Glasgow who are being attacked by private companies and have nobody to support them.

Would it be possible to set up some kind of organization along Anarcho-syndicalist lines which provides a resource and support centre for workers and unemployed alike, where anybody can be a member?

This would give us the excuse to leaflet outside jobcentres, Working Links offices, offering info for claimants on their benefit rights. And also doing direct action against dole privatisation.

What would be needed is some knowledge of benefits which can be picked up anywhere. Anybody, with or without welfare training, can representant a claimant at a benefit appeal. A centre and a phone would also help.