Book chapter 1137 views
The Violence of Workfare
Jon Burnett 
,
David Whyte
,
David Whyte
The Violence of Austerity, Pages: 59 - 68
Swansea University Author:
Jon Burnett
Abstract
This chapter analyses the testimonies of 97 people who have participated in ‘workfare’ schemes in the UK and have raised concerns about the health and safety risks experienced on these placements. Overall, these placements, which were carried out between May 2011 and November 2015, equate to some 1,...
| Published in: | The Violence of Austerity |
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| ISBN: | 978 0 7453 9948 5 |
| Published: |
London
Pluto Press
2017
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| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa34062 |
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| Abstract: |
This chapter analyses the testimonies of 97 people who have participated in ‘workfare’ schemes in the UK and have raised concerns about the health and safety risks experienced on these placements. Overall, these placements, which were carried out between May 2011 and November 2015, equate to some 1,139 weeks of compulsory unpaid labour. They were carried out under the threat of having social security benefits removed (sanctioned) if the placements were not completed. Analysing these testimonies, this chapter uncovers 64 concrete allegations of breaches of health and safety legislation at 43 different workplaces. It argues that these placements can constitute a dangerous, and illegal, threat to the safety of benefits claimants. It scrutinises the processes which ensure claimants comply with unsafe working conditions. |
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| Keywords: |
Workfare, risk, exploitation, compulsory labour, welfare-to-work, health and safety |
| College: |
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Start Page: |
59 |
| End Page: |
68 |