Stop this Inquisition
Socialist Organiser1982 1982-02-04Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 15 →
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Scan page 15
LAST Tuesday, 26 January, the CPSA DE London Regional Committee called a day of action in protest against the new 'availability test' being piloted in ten dole offices throughout the country.
This consists of a new question asking claimants if they are prepared to accept any job they can do.
During the currenT test period no-one is under any legal obligation to answer this question. Of course the form doesn' tell them this-it is just pushed in front of them at the dole office.
If claimants answer no to the question they may have their benefit suspended. If they answer yes, then they may be forced to take any low-paid job they are offered About 100 people turned up outside Waltham Cross dole office for the day of action. A delegation came from the Right to Work Campaign, giving their support to the ongoing CPSA campaign.
Leaflets are being handed out to fresh claimants every day, pointing out the implications of the availability question, and claimants' rights not to answer it.
At a time when increasing attacks are being made on the unemployed these new proposals are seen as yet another means to criminalise and police the unemployed.
This year has been the first in which benefits have not kept pace with inflation and earnings related benefit has been phased out.
Benefit workers are having their jobs cut at a time of increasing unemployment-thus being forced to increase productivity in cramped and unpleasant conditions which cause antagonism betwen them and the claimants.
Cuts in staffing levels have been announced. Natural wastage and compulsory transfers are being already implemented.
Benefit workers are angry at having their jobs eroded, being forced under increasing pressure and at the prospect of becoming the police force of the unemployed. They do not wish to be a part of the government's degrading tactics to make claimants pay for the crisis of capitali im.
LINDA GREEN
Scan page 16
socia ist Organiseri RS by STEVE (Asst Branc ary, Kings:
in personal capacity) OOD Secret ASLEF