{"id":280,"date":"2016-03-15T01:55:49","date_gmt":"2016-03-15T01:55:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk\/?p=280"},"modified":"2017-07-18T01:59:52","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T01:59:52","slug":"solidarity-success-at-edinburgh-jobcentre","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edinburghagainstpoverty.org.uk\/?p=280","title":{"rendered":"SOLIDARITY SUCCESS AT EDINBURGH JOBCENTRE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solidarity demonstrators from round Scotland won an important victory at Edinburgh’s High Riggs jobcentre on 14th March.\u00a0 The welfare rights worker from ECAP affiliated Edinburgh Claimants successfully accompanied the jobseeker to his appointment, as the DWP and G4S security backed down from their previous attempt to deny this right.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Edinburgh Coalition Against Poverty called the demo after\u00a0G4S security guards attacked the same welfare rights rep\u00a0as he accompanied the same JSA claimant at High Riggs on 29th February.\u00a0 Totally flouting the DWP’s own rules, the G4S guards denied the claimant\u00a0his basic human right to be accompanied by whoever he wishes.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Around 50 demonstrators answered the call and crowded round the jobcentre entrance on the 14th.\u00a0 Alerted through the\u00a0Action Against Austerity<\/a>\u00a0and other networks, groups and individuals from Dundee, Forfar, Glasgow, Greenock and Stirling joined ECAP and other locals from Edinburgh and Lothians.\u00a0Castlemilk Against Austerity<\/a>,\u00a0Dundee Against Austerity<\/a>,\u00a0Glasgow Anarchist Collective<\/a>,\u00a0Scottish Unemployed Workers Network<\/a>, and\u00a0Stirling Anarchists<\/a>\u00a0were among those present.\u00a0The Rhythms of Resistance samba band<\/a>\u00a0gave a musical accompaniment to the angry chants\u2026.\u00a0 ADVOCACY IS NOT A CRIME\u2026. G4S NAZI SWINE\u2026. IDS \u2013 ROT IN HELL\u2026..<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Emerging from the jobcentre, welfare rights worker Bob spoke to the crowd.\u00a0 He revealed that unlike the 29th February there had been no attempt by the security guards to stop him \u2013 though the DWP still made spurious demands he show ID, which he successfully declined to do.\u00a0 Significantly, the DWP interviewer’s attitude was positively transformed from the usual bullying and harassment to which the claimant has been regularly subjected.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cThis is totally down to the solidarity shown by all of you,\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Bob declared.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

THE POWER OF SOLIDARITY<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cToday’s action shows the power of solidarity.\u00a0 If we are isolated and alone, the DWP can bully and sanction us.\u00a0 If we take action together, then we can fight them back,\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0says Esther MacDonald of ECAP.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cWe cannot rely on politicians or any leaders, we need grass-roots direct action to resist the austerity attack from the rich and their political lackeys.\u00a0 We need to build on successes like this\u00a0to move towards creating a counter-power which can challenge the whole capitalist profit system.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Tony Cox of the Scottish Unemployed Workers Network was among those addressing the demo.\u00a0 Tony faces trial in Dundee on \u2013 provisionally \u2013 9th June on a trumped-up charge, following his disgraceful arrest while representing a claimant at a Maximus disability benefits assessment. Demonstrators at H\u00ecgh Riggs pledged to be at the court in Dundee to show solidarity with Tony \u2013 advocacy is not a crime! Together we can win!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The facts on the Right to be accompanied can be found on our page ‘Benefits Interviews: Be Accompanied’.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Footage from the demo<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Independence Live\u00a0coverage<\/a><\/p>\n

The upcoming\u00a0Action Against Austerity<\/a>\u00a0conference on Sunday 3rd April at Fred Paton Centre,\u00a0Glasgow will be an excellent opportunity to develop the links between grass-roots direct action groups round Scotland which were important in winning this victory, and which will be vital in the struggles to come \u00a0– e mail\u00a0ecap@lists.riseup.net<\/a>\u00a0for more details of the conference<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The public meeting<\/a>\u00a0with Lynne Friedli of\u00a0Boycott Workfare<\/a>\u00a0on Monday 21st March at 7pm in the Quaker Meeting House in Edinburgh will provide another good oppportunity to discuss the way forward – the theme is\u00a0“Fighting to live and winning – the common struggle against workfare and wage slavery.”<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A good report on the day<\/a>, with photos, by Scottish Unemployed Workers Network.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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