One step closer to a Derby Unemployed Workers Centre

Ian Wilson, Colin Hampton, Chris Williamson MP and Cheryl Pidgeon

Campaigners from Derby Trades Union Council held a "Listening" event at the Beckett Street Irish Club where unemployed people were able to share their stories of existing on benefit. The trades council have been discussing establishing a Centre for the Unemployed for several months and have taken advice from the Chesterfield based Derbyshire UWC. The "Listening" event was the next step in establishing the need for a centre and what support provision would be required.
The meeting heard from a number of unemployed people who highlighted the problems associated with existing on benefit, including:

• Being pressured to apply for inappropriate jobs
• Lack of essential information to enable appropriate claims
• Inappropriate medical checks
• The shame of not being able to access work when willing and able to do so
• Degrading and humiliating treatment from the benefits system
• Needless form filling after doctors have signed people off sick
• Automatically being turned down when applying for Disability Living Allowance forcing lengthy appeals

The Panel discussion heard contributions from Colin Hampton, Coordinator of the Derbyshire UWC, Chris Williamson, MP, Cheryl Pidgeon, Midlands TUC Regional Secretary, and Ian Wilson, President of Derby Trades Council. Points made by the panel included:

• Government cuts were taking away the very institutions that unemployed people relied upon
• All jobs should be registered at Job Centres so as to ensure they provided a full service to the whole community
• Investment in the economy with strong public services were needed to provide good quality employment opportunities

The trades council will continue to hold further meetings to look at the practicalities of establishing an Unemployed Workers center for Derby.