Fightback stall rocks Paignton

Paignton does not often see political activity or protests. So when Torbay Fightback activists gathered in Paignton town centre on what was a chilly Saturday afternoon, to campaign against the Bedroom Tax and privatisation of the NHS, we were unsure how our presence would be felt.

 

However our uncertainty was dismissed within moments of arriving. Upon spotting the NHS material, members of the public flocked around the stall before Fightback activists had an opportunity to get all their material and banners in place. This trend was to continue as people queued to add their names to the list of signatures.  In little more than an hour all petition forms had been filled and hundreds of Torbay Fightback leaflets, including the new Youth Fightback flyer had been distributed. Even then, more people had been directed to the stall by their friends and family.

During our short time in the town centre, the public came to the stall not only to register their support, but in some cases voicing issues that affected them. People came forward with details of how they are being hounded by ATOS and of how the new Bedroom Tax will cut their already meagre incomes. They told how the NHS had saved them and how we must fight to protect it at all costs. Many people also commented on how the so called opposition parties in Torbay were not prepared to be in the streets and talking to the public on a cold afternoon.

A successful afternoon for Fightback, but more importantly a statement made that despite government pressure, the people are firmly opposed to social cleansing policies such as the Bedroom Tax and the loss of our precious NHS to privatisation.

A short planning meeting followed the stall activity. Plans for a Fightback stall outside Torquay Job Centre, plus a Workfare protest and May Day event were discussed, details of which shall appear on this site as well as our facebook and twitter feeds in the near future.

Global economic exploitation

Hunger striker Jorge Parra

Jorge Parra started working as a welder at General Motors’ Colmotores plant in Colombia in 2001. For nine years, he worked 10 to 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week, lifting auto parts and pieces of machinery that can each weigh hundreds of pounds. He complained about pains, but doctors in the factory clinic kept sending him back to work. Then one day in 2010, at the end of a shift, he couldn’t move.

Even after surgery, Parra, who’s only 36, had trouble walking, standing, or using his hands. Then, just as he was recovering, GM fired him. He discovered that more than 200 workers had also been injured and fired. Many of these workers banded together and started demanding compensation, but GM refused to negotiate with them in good faith. So in November, Parra went on hunger strike and stitched his lips shut until GM agrees to sit down with workers and negotiate.

Now, Parra has come to the U.S. to confront GM executives directly at the North American International Auto Show, a massive auto industry trade show in Detroit that attracts media attention from all over the globe. We’d like to make sure he goes to the Auto Show with the signatures of tens of thousands of SumOfUs.org members in hand, so we can show GM that its customers and potential customers expect it to treat workers fairly.
Click here to sign our petition to GM CEO Daniel Akerson demanding that he meet with injured Colombian workers and offer fair restitution.

All these workers want is a chance to work and support their families and a guarantee that their former coworkers won’t be injured and discarded. They’re demanding that GM take financial responsibility for medical care related to their on-the-job injuries, help reintegrate them into the workforce with less physically demanding jobs, and institute new safety measures to prevent future injuries. They’re also demanding union representation, which would protect them from further abuses in the workplace.

Injured Colmotores workers have already been fighting for nearly two years. In 2011 the workers set up a makeshift camp outside the American embassy in Colombia. After a three week-long hunger strike in August, GM finally agreed to negotiations. But negotiators from the company refused to even consider letting the workers back into the plant. GM’s only offer was a monetary settlement that didn’t even cover upcoming surgeries.
With negotiations failing, the workers instead decided to take their fight to the United States -- to the Detroit Auto Show, and GM executives directly.

Stand with these brave workers - sign our petition to GM and we’ll get it to Jorge Parra so he can show GM its customers are standing with its workers and demanding justice.

The occupational health provision at GM USA is similar to the OH provision provided by Atos to companies in the UK (they include, Royal Mail, Tesco and many others).

At a recent anti-Atos demo there was an ex-Royal Mail worker deemed unfit to work (and forced to retire) by Atos in an occupational health role for Royal Mail and fit to work by Atos in the benefit stealing role that Atos carry-out for the DWP.

Thanks to Brian for sending this report
 

Action against Workfare & Atos

Activists took part in a leafleting and discussion operation in Paignton on the 12th January, as part of a campaign against Workfare and Atos. 

Hundreds of leaflets were distributed both outside and inside the town's Tesco and Co-operative supermarkets, with a number of shoppers eager to find out more about the implications of Workfare and the activity of Atos. One shopper at the Co-op store, who also happened to be a Co-op member said she would be raising the issue of Atos at the next meeting.

 Exposing the 'Ethical' Co-op's link with Atos

We have all heard the horror stories about Atos and their hounding of the sick and disabled into losing benefits and trying to force them into a job market which does not really exist. But not many people realise the supposedly most ethical name on the street, the Co-operative, have a very cosy relationship with Atos. Even the Co-operative Bank’s claim to be an ‘ethical investment’ company – as if such a thing exists – is doubtful after it emerged that in 2009 they signed a four year contract with disability denying poverty pimps Atos Healthcare.

The Co-Op have said that their new occupational health contract starts in March and that the bidding process for the new contract has already begun. The Co-Op have refused to publicly rule out a bid from Atos Healthcare.

The unethical behaviour of Atos has already been well documented in the mainstream media and by groups such as Disabled People Against Cuts. An increasing number of people have ended their lives after stress and poverty inflicted by the Atos testing regime whilst a recent investigation found that 32 people a week die after being found ‘fit for work’ by the company.

If the Co-Op were going to make their decision based on ethical concerns, which they claim will be a factor, they would have publicly rejected a bid from Atos. However instead of this they have refused to rule out the Atos bid!

The ethical image of the Co-op is its unique selling point.  But by refusing to rule out  the Atos their actions speak louder than words. 

   

The Campaign against Workfare 

The Con-Dem Coalition would have us believe that every benefit claimant is a scrounger, and should be made to enter into modern day slavery to keep their benefits. We are told that we need to cut the benefit bill and that Workfare is a way of people getting back into work.

The truth is 3% of the welfare budget is spent on benefits for the unemployed. With only just over a quarter of jobseekers allowance claimants receiving it for over a year.

In reality David Cameron along with his brown-nosing deputy and rotten cabinet of millionaires are far from caring about the vulnerable in society. They have given tax breaks worth on average £40,000 to the wealthiest, whilst the people they should be safeguarding are forced into modern day slave labour. Only 3.5% of Workfare employees have found employment for more than 13 weeks. In reality the only ones that benefit are the directors and shareholders of large companies such as Tesco!

This also has an effect on people who are already employed with certain firms. Why would the likes of Tesco pay for labour when they can get it for free? Therefore this puts paid workers out of jobs and undermines wages for others.

The fact is that workfare is just another ludicrous attempt by Con-Dems to turn the 99% against itself and to alienate another section of society. Next time you purchase from Tesco think about its employees. For more information visit boycottworkfare.org