Since June 2012 FRFI has worked alongside other campaigns in Glasgow to oppose the vicious Work Capability Assessments Atos carries out on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. As well as organising public meetings against the cuts we have held a picket of the Atos testing centre on Cadogan Street in Glasgow city centre at the end of every month.
To unite the opposition to Atos and the cuts in Glasgow, FRFI, the Black Triangle disability rights campaign, the Save the Accord Centre and supporters of the Irish Republican group the 32-County Sovereignty Movement, as well as independent anti cuts activists, have formed Glasgow Against Atos (GAA). The campaign’s launch meeting on 10 October was addressed by FRFI, the Save the Accord Centre campaign, Black Triangle campaign activist John McArdle and a campaigner whose husband is suffering the disability cutbacks. We held a rolling picket on 26 October in Glasgow City Centre, targeting the Co-operative bank and the Royal Bank of Scotland for their complicity with the cuts, as well as the offices of the Atos-sponsored 2014 Commonwealth Games. After distributing hundreds of leaflets we returned to the Atos testing centre and distributed assessment advice sheets to claimants.
Our next events take place on 30 November. GAA will also be mobilising its supporters for the national day of action against the disability benefit cuts called by Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC) and the Black Triangle campaign on Monday 3 December. The next campaign meeting is on Thursday 13 December. Contact us on facebook Glasgow Against Atos, by email [email protected] or by phone 07734 348 065.
Glasgow Against Atos rolling picket: Oppose welfare cuts! Friday 30 November and Monday 3 December
Assemble Atos Testing Centre, 12.30pm Corunna House, 29 Cadogan Street
FRFI 230 December 2012/January 2013
