Brighton and Hove
TUC Unemployed Workers' Centre
Frank
Elvy House, 4 Crestway Parade, Hollingdean, Brighton BN1 7BL
Tel: 01273 540717, Fax 01273 540797, E-mail brightonunemployedcentre2000@yahoo.co.uk
Despite the best efforts of the Council, who originally refused us planning permission,
the Unemployed Centre was officially
reopened by Ernie Trory, who was one of the original Hunger Strikers in the
1930's, on May 1st 1999. Local councillors tried to whip up local feeling against
us. Apparently we were all drug addicts/beggars/ravers but this soon rebounded
on New Labour Councillor as more
people signed a petition supporting our Planning Appeal than signed
the
original petition against us! Why didn't New Labour want us? Because they New
Labour didn't want any opposition in their backyard. They wanted Hollingdean
to remain a docile, reservoir of unquestioning voters who don't make demands
on them.
We believe that unemployment is a political
question. Unemployment has traditionally been used to lower wages and New Labour's
strategy is no different. Through New Deal and Working Links, it is
pushing people,
into low-paid jobs.
- We OPPOSE all benefit cuts, especially the new Welfare Reform Bill, which makes savage cuts (£750m) in Incapacity Benefit and Pensions. The best way out of poverty is to increase benefit levels and wages. WELFARE NOT WARFARE
- We OPPOSE all attempts to get the unemployed to inform on each other. This is the mentality of the Police State. Most people who earn something on the side do it to feed the kids and pay the bills. Rupert Murdoch made £1.4 Billion profit in 10 years and not paid a penny in taxes. Strange that the Sun never condemns rich tax cheats.
- We CONDEMN New Labour's proposal to remove benefit for 6 MONTHS from claimants. People have the right to look for the job that suits them, at a wage that doesn't leave them in poverty. Threats to STARVE people, if they don't take the first job they are offered, lowers wages for everybody (and increases the profits of Blair's billionaire friends like David Sainsbury). New Labour call this their 'anti-poverty strategy'.
- We OPPOSE workfare and cheap labour schemes like New Deal. They are used by employers to replace well-paid jobs with low-paid temporary work contracts. In New York, where New Deal originated, half the public sector workers have been fired and replaced by cheap non-union workfare workers.
- We OPPOSE the racist Asylum Bill. Refugees are caused by wars and arms sales. Racism is used to divide the working-class.
- We SUPPORT universal benefits and are opposed to means-testing. Universal benefits like child-benefit have the highest take-up. If they cost more, then increase taxes on the rich.
- We are opposed to the new Employment Action Zones which are leading to the privatisation of the benefit system. Brighton & Hove's EAZ is to be run by accountants Ernst Young.
- We are NOT controlled or funded by the Council's New Labour control freaks. We are determined to retain our independence and criticise and campaign against all attacks on the unemployed.