Unemployed forced to work unpaid during Jubilee

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"Two jobseekers, who did not want to be identified in case they lost their benefits, said they had to camp under London Bridge the night before the pageant... Both stewards said they were originally told they would be paid. But when they got to the coach on Saturday night, they said, they were told that the work would be unpaid and that if they did not accept it they would not be considered for well-paid work at the Olympics"

Is this a indication of the 'all in it together' ethos of the coalition? A hugely ostentatious celebration for the Queen (to whom David Cameron is related), while jobseekers are forced to work for free for a private company on the promise that they will be 'considered' for future (temporary) work.

It is utterly disgusting. Since when does menial, unpaid work (bar charitable volunteering) improve a CV?

Wonder if they were security cleared?

I bet the company - which decided it was acceptable to expect people to spend the night on a bus on their way to what must have been a long day's (low paid or unpaid) work - got paid a fortune to supply stewards, too.

The whole thing makes me sick. Thank goodness we've still got some politicians (notably John Prescott) who are prepared to speak out about these abuses.

This "trial" was to see if they will be suitable to be stewards at the Olympics, which lasts how long? 2-3 weeks at most, so it's not even as if it's for a decent permanent job. Then what? You've proved you're prepared to work unpaid, will sleep rough and travel hundreds of miles to do crowd control!

feck me Lord Sugar won't know which one to hire.

And when the recession is finally over, there will be thousands of fully trained stewards ready to keep order as all the big firms rush to hire again.

An appalling situation and one which should not be repeated, but raises so many issues.

It seems there were quite a few people from Bath, Bristol and Plymouth who were coached in and dropped at London Bridge at 3.30 in the morning but were not needed until 5.30. No where have I seen anything to suggest that refreshments would or were provided, let alone welfare facilities.

Whilst accepting that some people now work free to improve their CV by calling it an "internship" stewarding needs proper briefing and Im sure the SIA would be interested if there was a security element.

No one who values fairness should keep quiet whatever their persuasion.

I think Jock has it about spot on, mind, if any of them get jobs at Argyle as stewards, God help 'em:)

Peggy wrote:

I bet the company - which decided it was acceptable to expect people to spend the night on a bus on their way to what must have been a long day's (low paid or unpaid) work - got paid a fortune to supply stewards, too.

The whole thing makes me sick. Thank goodness we've still got some politicians (notably John Prescott) who are prepared to speak out about these abuses.

Unfortunately the fact that brand new ruling class elite John Prescott -amidst wondering which of his two Jags to drive between his massive mansions or whether he will be piling on more pounds at The Ivy tonight- gives a shit tends to pass me by. I find it indefensible that not only are these firms providing un-paid labour, but they aren't even looking after them properly. This is comparable to firms like Tesco's using the yoof opportunities scheme to help fill their shelves.

The Labour government introduced 'workfare' schemes as part of the 'New Deal', so people like Prescott being prepared to speak out now is simple political point scoring. We didn't hear him going on about exploitation when his party was in power orchestrating it. The fact is that Labour opened the doors to this exploitation, of course the Tories were going to push that door wide open when they got back to power. It's a bit like tuition fees: Labour introduced them (the Tories hadn't even dared to in 18 years in power) and the coalition then bumped them up sky-high.

Until left-wing voters hold a gun to the Labour Party's head by voting for proper left-wing parties when they have the chance, this whole sorry charade will continue with Labour opening the doors to things that the Tories only ever dreamed of. As for Prescott, he wouldn't know a principle even if it presented itself on a plate, slathered itself in sauce and sat next to a pile of chips!

charleymouse wrote:

The Labour government introduced 'workfare' schemes as part of the 'New Deal', so people like Prescott being prepared to speak out now is simple political point scoring. We didn't hear him going on about exploitation when his party was in power orchestrating it. The fact is that Labour opened the doors to this exploitation, of course the Tories were going to push that door wide open when they got back to power. It's a bit like tuition fees: Labour introduced them (the Tories hadn't even dared to in 18 years in power) and the coalition then bumped them up sky-high.

This is exactly the problem we have. It's noticeable how quiet the Labour party are on the whole thing. Why is it someone like Prescott leading the calls for a review, rather than a more senior member of the current Labour leadership? The truth is that for many of the things the coalition are doing which are unacceptable, Labour did first, or have also done, even if it is to a lesser degree. Take Privatisation, or failure to regulate the banks, or 'cash for peerages', or immigration c*ck ups, or the stratification of the school system. The list is probably endless. The problem is that there is in fact very little difference in the stance between the two parties, they are both mindless adherents to extreme a 'free market' ideology.

The additional problem is that the electoral system is designed so that it is near impossible for a smaller party to make any inroads into power, so we are left with effectively a 2-party system where both parties represent the same thing.

There are no words to describe how much I hate cameron, clegg and this vile, putrid, sinister and creepy coalition. The day these bastards fall cannot come soon enough. Scum. All of them.

you forgot Osborne.

you wait until later today when barclays chairman gets to the parliment committee ! unless of course they allow him to keep his £22million