Partner Article

Jubilee Jobseekers

The Jubilee celebrations have been overshadowed by the controversial treatment of unpaid job seekers who were forced to provide security during the pageant.

While the Government claim it was a “one off” incident, Lord Prescott has accused them of “exploiting cheap labour” after they were forced to work 14-hour shifts in the rain.

Under the Government’s work programme, charities and companies provide unpaid work experience for those on jobseeker’s allowance, to help them “develop the skills that people really need to get into sustainable jobs”. But did the weekend’s events really provide that?

So are the Government guilty of exploiting the unemployed? Or did it expose the (sometimes difficult) realities of working life?

What do you think?

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .