Nice workfare if you can get it.

We thought you might be interested in this position working nights at Tesco - for your £67 a week JSA, plus travel expenses.

It's one of the 1,400 positions Tesco fills by using staff on 'workfare' schemes - that is, funded by taxpayers. They say that 300 of those obtained paid employment with the company.

Tesco's financial report last year (record profits of £3.5bn) boasted that they made £14,300 profit per employee. With an increasing number of their staff employed without wages, we expect that will increase even more. Lucky old Tesco.

Some people seem unclear about the way these schemes function: There is no job contract.

The employer has a deal with one of the scheme administrators, like A4E who get around £5k for each claimant placed. The claimant is sent on placement by the JobCentrePlus. The claimant doesn't get a choice and their benefits can be stopped if they don't do as they're told.

The employer/provider doesn't get to choose choose who is sent. Their contract is with the agency - to provide the place - and the worker is controlled by the government.

Since the employer doesn't employ the workfarer, employment laws do not apply to the post. With compulsory, indefinite workfare being rolled out for disabled and sick people, this raises concerns about bullying and abuse on placements as well as the obvious dangers to people's health.

Fellow Frother MmeLindor has blogged more on the Tesco job at saltandcaramel.com.

There are currently 8 job seekers for every job. Obviously, these schemes take vacancies off the market - why pay wages, when you can get the taxpayer to provide staff for free?

Read our first post about workfare here - take a look at the readers' comments. Find out more at boycottworkfare.org.

Mainstream retailers using workfare staff include:
Boots
Superdrug
TopShop
Miss Selfridge
Dorothy Perkins
Wallis
Evans
TopMan
Burton

Matalan
BHSMarks & Spencer
Asda
Tesco
Argos
Primark
Poundstretcher
Wilkinsons
Holland & Barrett
Royal Mail (pilot scheme)
Burger King
McDonald's
KFC
Pizza Hut
Greggs the bakers
Booker Wholesale
Maplins
WH Smith
HMV

Retailers who don't use workfarers:
Aldi
Lidl
The Co-op & Co-operative group
Morrisons
John Lewis & Waitrose
99p Stores has withdrawn
Waterstones has withdrawn
TKMaxx has withdrawn
Sainsbury's has withdrawn
Poundland has withdrawn
Superdrug say they will withdraw

Matalan has suspended its involvement
Argos has suspended its involvement
Greggs is reviewing its involvement
Tesco has altered the terms of its involvement

Updates: PROTEST WORKS!
The Independent, 18th Feb 2012
The Independent, 24th Feb 2012
BBC, 24th Feb 2012

Tesco, Sept 2011 (Note dress code) 5 wanted

What can I do?

• Boycott the companies exploiting staff on benefits.

• Sign this petition: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29356

• Tweet your objections here: http://www.pint.org.uk/work/