On 14 January 2013, a small victory for all those who have been fighting Atos: the Co-op will terminate the contract it has with the company to provide occupational health services to its 82,000 employees. With the current contract set to expire in March, pickets took place outside the Co-op’s flagship stores across Britain demanding that Atos be ruled out of the bidding process. The Co-op has now confirmed that the Atos contract will not be renewed. Glasgow Against Atos has been picketing other stores and companies with Atos contracts as well the company itself. The Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau has received 24,000 complaints against Atos’s decisions in work capability assessments for disabled benefit claimants. 80% of people who challenge their initial fit-for-work verdict win their cases against the company.
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 231 February-March 2013
