Tuesday 26 June 2012

Combat Workfare Targets A4e Liverpool




Today, Combat Workfare continued its build-up to the Boycott Workfare National Week of Action with another combination A4e picket and communications blockade in Liverpool. An 11-strong picket lined the entrance to the A4e offices, which also house Avanta, Working Links and the JHP Group —all administrators of the exploitative Work Programme. For those who couldn’t make the mid-week action, a successful communications blockade had A4e Liverpool and A4e Customer Services up the wall answering complaints from all over the country concerning their involvement in the welfare “crackdown” continued by this government.

The picket had shouts of support from people passing by; and from people, not connected with any of the Work Providers, working inside the office complex. Hundreds of leaflets were handed out explaining why the picket was being held and claimants going in and out of the building shared their stories and complaints about A4e & Avanta.

A4e, distancing themselves of any wrong-doing over the allegations of “systemic fraud”, have been on the spin-offensive, lately, churning out mushy, positive-vibration success stories about how they’ve helped ‘customers’ get a job “after just ONE appointment” or, in another instance, helped find someone a job and “a husband”. The most sickening example of A4e’s perverse-spin centres on how they recently turned a customer “from HOMELESS to HOPEFUL in just 3 WEEKS!” propounding the idea that they’re some fucking religio/super-hero/all-healing philanthropists who’ve been sent to planet Earth, from the planet Harrison, to prevent the unemployment apocalypse.  A4e revel deliriously in piggybacking on their customer’s stories, whilst simultaneously coercing profits out of their circumstances —all with a “well done, you” smile-smirk as they turn to their fellow racketeers and crank up the cash counter machine.

A4e can expect more disruption to their profit-incentivised workfare racket over the next weeks and months; and these direct-actions will not go unnoticed by claimants passing through A4e’s doors.  The more disruption we inflict, and the more connections we make with claimants will precipitate a stronger defence against escalating exploitation of the unemployed and employed.



The next direct action in Liverpool is on Sat 30th June, when we will be targeting under-the-radar exploiters Asda at their Smithdown Rd Store. More info here:  https://www.facebook.com/events/254691504641040/

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