There is a lot of fuss, generated it seems mainly by the 'Occupy Movement' fellow travelers and some elements of the media.
Main proposition is that getting people to undertake work placements for major organizations, like supermarkets, and they do not get paid a wage, just their unemployment benefits is akin to 'slave labour' and boosts the profits of these retail giants.
Consider.
Cost to the taxpayer is unchanged. Though might decrease if a permanent job is awarded.
Cost to unemployed is nil - they get reimbursed expenses plus they get work experience on their CV and get into a 'work habit'
Cost to organization - There will be some but maybe offset by the fruits of the labour?
Benefit to Taxpayer = Higher profits for organizations means higher taxes.
Win:Win
Oh and 'slave labour' - those who use that to describe shelf stacking in 21st Century Britain show their absolute ignorance of what constitutes slavery and no respect for those unfortunates who did and, in some countries still do, experience real slavery.
A closer analogy to slavery is that imposed on working people who are forced to pay ever higher levels of taxation!
Main proposition is that getting people to undertake work placements for major organizations, like supermarkets, and they do not get paid a wage, just their unemployment benefits is akin to 'slave labour' and boosts the profits of these retail giants.
Consider.
Cost to the taxpayer is unchanged. Though might decrease if a permanent job is awarded.
Cost to unemployed is nil - they get reimbursed expenses plus they get work experience on their CV and get into a 'work habit'
Cost to organization - There will be some but maybe offset by the fruits of the labour?
Benefit to Taxpayer = Higher profits for organizations means higher taxes.
Win:Win
Oh and 'slave labour' - those who use that to describe shelf stacking in 21st Century Britain show their absolute ignorance of what constitutes slavery and no respect for those unfortunates who did and, in some countries still do, experience real slavery.
A closer analogy to slavery is that imposed on working people who are forced to pay ever higher levels of taxation!
Is the problem with these types of schemes that, although they have the right intentions, the practicle aspect of them is that those on work placements get given menial duties. It consumes managers time to give training and figure out what tasks need to be done. Surely, managers will give their full-time employees the better tasks and use work placements to handle stuff like sweeping and stacking boxes.
ReplyDeleteIf you're in need of work placement then in most cases you're not going to be the brightest or have much skills to offer and probably have an "attitude" coz you didn't stick it out school. If I get offered people on a work placement in my business they'll be left with the tasks that nobody else wants to do i.e. sweeping out the workshop.
Nice idea but can't see it working out in practice.
Perhaps focus more on the root cause i.e. why do people need work placement in the first place? How come kids leave school with so little skills that they need to offer their labour for free. Now that's a much wider debate.
I agree about the lack of education found among school leavers. If I took on anyone, like you, I would probably have them do menial tasks (don't think though that shelf stacking actually falls into the category) and I would look at the attitude that they display when doing that work.
ReplyDeleteTurn up on time and get on with the tasks assigned - then I am starting to get impressed and may think about how I could use them.
Don't arrive or arrive late, take too many breaks and carry out poor work - then I won't be offering a full time role.
Anonymous on February 24. I won't publish your comment as it contains inappropriate language. Lose that and I will post.
ReplyDelete