By Tessha Mearing and Nikki Ulasowski
WOLLONGONG â The federal government's work-for-the-dole scheme is targeted at unemployed people aged between 15 and 24 years. Under the scheme, those 15-21 will work for 20 hours per week, and 21-24-year olds will work for 30 hours per week â all for an extra $10 per week on top of their current unemployment benefit.
It is still not known whether the scheme, announced in February, will be compulsory, although it has been speculated that in areas of high unemployment it will be. The government is proposing to launch 50 pilot schemes involving 10,000 young people. The pilot schemes will be tendered to community organisations. It is unclear how long it will be before business is allowed to enter the scheme.
The current work-for-the dole proposal states that workers' compensation and occupational health and safety regulations will not be available to those in the scheme.
While the scheme has not been voted on in parliament, the ALP, Greens and Democrats are currently negotiating how it will be implemented. None of these parties is opposed to the scheme; their amendments are aimed only at fine tuning it.
The ALP proudly boasts of its 11-point program of amendments. These include no displacement of workers, award wages to be paid and health and safety regulations to apply. While these amendments would make the scheme somewhat less offensive, the aim should be to stop the scheme altogether.
Resistance activists took to the streets to ask the people what they thought about the scheme. Alexander (17) said, "I don't agree with it". Anthony (18) said, "It is degrading being put into a category of a dole bludger. This scheme doesn't help to get a job or to look for a job." Mel (20) said, "I don't agree with the pay". Bret (24) said, "They are not real jobs or training toward real jobs". Pat (30) said, "It restricts opportunities to look for real jobs". Vera (65) asked, "How are the unemployed supposed to look for work when they are stuck in these schemes?".
Resistance activist Simon Frew told Green Left Weekly: "Since we have been campaigning against this scheme, we have found strong opposition to forcing people to work for the dole. This scheme will not provide real jobs. Instead it will undermine job security and wages while scapegoating unemployed people.
"Resistance is demanding that the government create real jobs. It could do this by shortening the working week with no loss in pay, reversing the cuts to schools, hospitals and the public sector and launching a nationwide campaign to clean up the environment."
On April 19 at 12.30pm in the Wollongong Mall Amphitheatre, Resistance and the Democratic Socialist Party are organising a rally with the demand "Real jobs! Not work for the dole". The rally has been sponsored by the South Coast Labour Council, Wollongong University Student Representative Council, the Maritime Union of Australia (South Coast) and the Wollongong May Day Committee. For more information phone 262 010.