Newcastle City Jobcentre Plus has sanctioned claimants 1,885 times in 14 months
Tyne and Wear Unite Community branch protest against benefit sanctions at Newcastle’s city centre Jobcentre.
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! (FRFI) supporters, who are members of the Tyne and Wear Unite Community branch, helped organise a picket of Newcastle City Jobcentre on 2 July 2014. They explained that the city centre Jobcentre doled out 1,885 sanctions between 22 October 2012 and 31 December 2013. The protest got significant support from people going in to sign on at the Jobcentre and passers-by.
A selection of placards used during the protest
The demonstration was also supported by striking workers from Tyneside Safety Glass (TSG), who came down to stand side by side with unemployed activists against benefit sanctions. TSG are in the second week of strike action after the owner of the company announced a 0% pay rise this year, a pay cut in real terms. FRFI supporters had joined the TSG picket earlier in the week. Read our report of that picket here.
It is this type of solidarity between the unemployed and people currently in work that will need to be built more widely in order to undermine the government’s attempts at isolating and attacking different sections of the working class. By bringing together these different struggles we will stand a better chance at winning our shared demands of decent work or full maintenance.
FRFI have called a public meeting to discuss where to go next with the fight against benefit sanctions in Newcastle.
This will take place on Saturday 26th July, 4pm in Byker: St Silas Church (see below for details).
Mark Moncada
