UPDATE ON THE JOB SEEKERS ALLOWANCE

SINCE LAST REPORTING on the Job Seekers Allowance in Organise! issue 40 and the realities of signing on under the current legislation, much has happened both inside and outside the dole office.

Inside

The new computer system known as Labour Market System (LMS), is up and running in the majority of offices, but remains to be connected nation-wide. LMS not only holds personal information about all claimants, such as interview history, it is the direct link to low paid jobs. The aim being to ensure that as many claimants as possible are forced into low paid jobs and off the register. LMS cuts out the middle-man, that being the job centre. It is a direct line to employers. That’s all well and good if you choose to look for a job when you sign on and are well aware of the general shit jobs advertised through the job centre.

The introduction of LMS into the dole offices would appear to ensure that the preparations for JSA are well underway. This is motivated by the JSA implementation date of October 1996 and is aided by the performance related pay of dole office workers. However, those offices working towards JSA implementation ahead of the official implementation date, whilst unable to enact the JSA in terms of benefit criteria, are experiencing difficulties with LMS. Indeed LMS is proving to be a time consuming system. In some dole offices claimants are reported to be waiting over 1 hour just to sign on. The estimated reductions in staff, from 46,000 to 22,000 during 1996/7 will no doubt ensure that implementation of JSA is further complicated.

Outside

The recent dole office workers, Civil and Public Services Association (CPSA) strike against management’s pay offer brought limited media attention and the hope that the union would add to the sabotage of the implementation of the JSA currently underway. However the CPSA, officially opposed to the JSA, have remained primarily concerned with issues of pay. Its’ opposition to the JSA has sadly gone no further than demands for the introduction of screens in dole offices, recognising that the JSA will be difficult to administer and that a backlash against the JSA will occur. Failing to recognise the environment that the construction of screens fosters, such as arrogant off handish behaviour on the part of staff towards claimants will ensure that the division between claimants and dole workers is reinforced.

Outside the dole office campaigning against the JSA is gathering momentum. Groundswell, best defined as loose network of autonomous groups and in