THE PROBLEM OF WORK IN BRIGHTON AND THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY : OUR VIEW
These days we are witnessing a hateful toughening of the rules governing the JSA, The Job Seekers Allowance, requiring all long-term unemployed to sign on everyday.
However, the campaign of hatred towards the unemployed, artfully orchestrated for purely electoral purposes by the Conservatives and the far-right in the UK, also concerns us Italians in the UK, and it is cause for concern.
In Europe, there is now an ongoing debate as to whether it is legitimate for some EU member states to persecute the unemployed, humiliating and subjecting them to an absolutely unjustified regime of sanctions, forcing them to accept profoundly unfair forms of slavery, such as “Zero Hours Contracts” contracts, the purpose of which is clearly that of punishing the unemployed, rather than facilitate their reintegration into the labour market.
We "Italians in Brighton and in the UK" are absolutely opposed to such policies.
Most of us left economically hard-hit Italy because we could not find decent jobs in our country, and are here in England to rebuild our future, not to take advantage of the generosity of the British welfare.
The time has come to dismiss the myth of the "generosity" of the welfare, which ceased to be “generous” quite a few years ago. The massive immigration from Mediterranean countries & Eastern Europe, and the competition between the various ethnic groups and nationalities present on British soil is such that pockets of unemployment have become inevitable.
The labour market has become a jungle where there are no winners, but for a handful of fortunate and privileged. The EU and its employment policies have failed to deliver clear and progressive reforms. The lack of support and guidance for young European workers forced to accept cheap labour and to endure low-quality working conditions around Europe is shameful.
The present government and the far-right are working to divide the labour movement and feed hatred and mistrust among the various ethnic groups, by pushing salaries down thus putting British workers against foreign workers; employed against unemployed workers; British unemployed against non-British unemployed. Furthermore, they want to create a
It follows that the nationalist parties of the far-right, the anti-Europe lobbies win votes at the elections, spread discontent, feelings of anger and fuel social conflict.
We believe that the fight for progress, unity and empowerment in the workplace belongs to all working people, and is fought on many fronts.
Unemployment is above all a social plague for those who are involved in it. We believe it needs to be tackled with investement in the economy, fairer policies of wealth distribution and not with persecution of the most vulnerable section of society.
Even though we do not see the extension of the welfare state as the solution to the ills of society and the problems of work, we feel it never the less plays an important role in our economy: it reduces social conflicts; works as an incentive to keep wages up; improves the general level of working conditions facilitates social cohesion and reintegration; and, if well engineered, it stimulates job creation and enterprise.
Thanks to the invaluable contribution of BHUWC, Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers Centre, and the Brighton Benefits Campaign group, our association and its affiliates (Italian Association of Sussex; Britalians : Italians in the United Kingdom; Italians in Brighton & Friends of Italy), today provides support and assistance to those who find themselves in a difficult economic situation.
Together with them we are fighting against the cuts and for the reform of the welfare in accordance with the principles of social equity and solidarity; to promote changes in the employment sector; bring down the present government; and thwart their plan to humiliate and punish the most vulnerable members of society.
We of the Italian community in Brighton and in the United Kingdom wholeheartedly support a view of society which is based on the values of solidarity and fairness. This is why we support the aims of the BBC, Brighton Benefit Campaign, and their efforts to protect welfare rights, and their struggle to bring down this government and reform the welfare state on the basis of equity and justice.
We need to eradicate this shameful attitude which blames the more vulnerable for the crisis that we face. We want to support the unemployed in difficult economic times.
In short, the welfare of the Tories is a farce, which not only does not solve the problem of the long-term unemployed in this country, but it makes it worse.
The harassment and humiliation that this government inflicts every day to the most vulnerable members of our society are an insult to democracy and common decency, to the extent that even the Anglican Church is outraged.
We Italians in Brighton and in the UK are absolutely opposed to such policies and will fight them drastically.
We want a society governed by the values of solidarity, dignity and fairness. Please join us in this just cause.
Britalians : Italians in the United Kingdom; Italians in Brighton; Italians Association of Sussex
* Click HERE for the longer version of this article
These days we are witnessing a hateful toughening of the rules governing the JSA, The Job Seekers Allowance, requiring all long-term unemployed to sign on everyday.
However, the campaign of hatred towards the unemployed, artfully orchestrated for purely electoral purposes by the Conservatives and the far-right in the UK, also concerns us Italians in the UK, and it is cause for concern.
In Europe, there is now an ongoing debate as to whether it is legitimate for some EU member states to persecute the unemployed, humiliating and subjecting them to an absolutely unjustified regime of sanctions, forcing them to accept profoundly unfair forms of slavery, such as “Zero Hours Contracts” contracts, the purpose of which is clearly that of punishing the unemployed, rather than facilitate their reintegration into the labour market.
We "Italians in Brighton and in the UK" are absolutely opposed to such policies.
Most of us left economically hard-hit Italy because we could not find decent jobs in our country, and are here in England to rebuild our future, not to take advantage of the generosity of the British welfare.
The time has come to dismiss the myth of the "generosity" of the welfare, which ceased to be “generous” quite a few years ago. The massive immigration from Mediterranean countries & Eastern Europe, and the competition between the various ethnic groups and nationalities present on British soil is such that pockets of unemployment have become inevitable.
The labour market has become a jungle where there are no winners, but for a handful of fortunate and privileged. The EU and its employment policies have failed to deliver clear and progressive reforms. The lack of support and guidance for young European workers forced to accept cheap labour and to endure low-quality working conditions around Europe is shameful.
The present government and the far-right are working to divide the labour movement and feed hatred and mistrust among the various ethnic groups, by pushing salaries down thus putting British workers against foreign workers; employed against unemployed workers; British unemployed against non-British unemployed. Furthermore, they want to create a
It follows that the nationalist parties of the far-right, the anti-Europe lobbies win votes at the elections, spread discontent, feelings of anger and fuel social conflict.
We believe that the fight for progress, unity and empowerment in the workplace belongs to all working people, and is fought on many fronts.
Unemployment is above all a social plague for those who are involved in it. We believe it needs to be tackled with investement in the economy, fairer policies of wealth distribution and not with persecution of the most vulnerable section of society.
Even though we do not see the extension of the welfare state as the solution to the ills of society and the problems of work, we feel it never the less plays an important role in our economy: it reduces social conflicts; works as an incentive to keep wages up; improves the general level of working conditions facilitates social cohesion and reintegration; and, if well engineered, it stimulates job creation and enterprise.
Thanks to the invaluable contribution of BHUWC, Brighton and Hove Unemployed Workers Centre, and the Brighton Benefits Campaign group, our association and its affiliates (Italian Association of Sussex; Britalians : Italians in the United Kingdom; Italians in Brighton & Friends of Italy), today provides support and assistance to those who find themselves in a difficult economic situation.
Together with them we are fighting against the cuts and for the reform of the welfare in accordance with the principles of social equity and solidarity; to promote changes in the employment sector; bring down the present government; and thwart their plan to humiliate and punish the most vulnerable members of society.
We of the Italian community in Brighton and in the United Kingdom wholeheartedly support a view of society which is based on the values of solidarity and fairness. This is why we support the aims of the BBC, Brighton Benefit Campaign, and their efforts to protect welfare rights, and their struggle to bring down this government and reform the welfare state on the basis of equity and justice.
We need to eradicate this shameful attitude which blames the more vulnerable for the crisis that we face. We want to support the unemployed in difficult economic times.
In short, the welfare of the Tories is a farce, which not only does not solve the problem of the long-term unemployed in this country, but it makes it worse.
The harassment and humiliation that this government inflicts every day to the most vulnerable members of our society are an insult to democracy and common decency, to the extent that even the Anglican Church is outraged.
We Italians in Brighton and in the UK are absolutely opposed to such policies and will fight them drastically.
We want a society governed by the values of solidarity, dignity and fairness. Please join us in this just cause.
Britalians : Italians in the United Kingdom; Italians in Brighton; Italians Association of Sussex
* Click HERE for the longer version of this article
