The Charter for Transforming Work
Green
Party of England & Wales
"The
Green Party supports a citizen's income which would be a benefit given
to everyone as a right, irrespective of their circumstances ...
...
If the Republic of Ireland can seriously consider it, can't we?"
WHAT'S
WORK?
In an age
of increasing technology and opportunities for leisure, why are some
of us working harder and harder with little chance to relax, with others
unable to find work who have plenty of time but very little money? The
Government's agenda is firmly based around the idea that paid employment
is good, but many jobs are damaging to health and the environment and
are based around consuming scarce resources, whilst the unpaid work
which supports our communities is unrecognised and unvalued.
What is
work? Is it just selling our time to put food on the table, or is it
also about creativity and fulfilment? Is it just paid employment and
commerce, or should building up families and communities count as work
too? Is work in a factory owned by a multinational worth more or less
than in a co-operative or a locally owned business? We believe that
the assumption that the only work that matters is the jobs provided
by big business is not only morally wrong, but poor economics as well.
The Green
Party supports work which builds communities, provides people with adequate
rewards, allows them control over their working conditions and provides
support for those people who are not in paid employment for whatever
reason. This is kind of work is sustainable, fulfilling and increases
the real wealth in our community.
THE CHARTER
FOR TRANSFORMING WORK
WORK
FOR COMMUNITY
Voluntary,
family and other unpaid work deserves to be recognised. Society depends
upon unpaid work. Many people undertake voluntary work which enriches
our communities, for example caring for people with disabilities, providing
friendship for older people or helping to improve our environment. These
are some of the most valuable jobs that can be done, but unpaid workers
receive few rewards, and are told by the Employment Service to find "real
work". Similarly, people caring for children are also being pushed into
a job, when many of them really want to concentrate on bringing up the
next generation. Benefit rates need to be increased so that people can
aren't forced into poverty whilst doing unpaid work. Such volunteers should
receive National Insurance credits to protect their rights to pensions
and other National Insurance benefits.
There
are new ideas being tried out which could make a real difference. Local
Exchange Trading Schemes now exist all over the country, using an ‘imaginary
currency’ to facilitate exchanges between people who are unable to meet
their needs using money. It brings a community together, helps people
to practice their skills, and provides a kind of ‘community credit for
people who need help getting started.
Many businesses
have always had a close connection to the community, such as playschemes,
recycling initiatives and fundraising for charities. More of these community
enterprises are being set up - but funding for employment creation is
going disproportionately to traditional industries and encouraging foreign
investment. One electronics factory received £3.3 million as a sweetener
- £24,000 for each job created - while new small businesses were unable
to get any help at all. At the same time, another similar development
was closing and moving abroad after only five years. This is where a
change of policy in Local Councils could really make a difference. Principal
authorities have the power to allow discretionary relief on business
rates to alleviate hardship and benefit the community. At present, very
few recognise the hardship faced by new locally owned businesses, or
the benefit that we all gain from supporting community enterprise. A
clear policy encouraging such businesses to apply for relief could be
a very effective way to boost local business, co-operatives and community
enterprise. Charity shops have already benefited, creating economic
activity where none existed before.
Combined
with support for street markets and ‘Local Exchange Trading Scheme’
this could bring communities back to life. As the community gets more
economically active, it encourages other businesses to locate there
- there are now many estates and villages where there are no shops,
banks or leisure facilities.
WORKING
WITHOUT POVERTY
The burden
of taxation should not fall upon those on lower incomes. The way in which
the benefits, National Insurance and tax schemes interact means that those
on low incomes only get to keep 3 pence for every extra pound they earn
in the worst case. This will only rise to 5 pence in the pound under the
Government's tax credit proposals. This is an effective tax rate of 97%
for some of the poorest members of our society compared with the maximum
of 40% for the richest. Single people can only keep £5 per week of their
wages before their income support or jobseeker's allowance is taken back
pound for pound. This hasn't changed for ten years. The burden of taxation
should fall on resource consumption, not on our first steps into employment.
The Green Party supports a citizen's income which would be a benefit
given to everyone as a right, irrespective of their circumstances. As
people can keep this benefit if they move into or out of employment
it provides a safety net for people to refuse jobs which are damaging
and helps to stop unscrupulous employers from exploiting their workforce.
Many people will still want to work full time, but others will want
to reduce the hours they work which will spread the available work to
more people. It would encourage people to pursue the work they really
want to do, and express themselves ethically and creatively, without
fear of poverty. Many will say we can’t afford it - but it is cheap
to administer and encourages more economic activity. If the Republic
of Ireland can seriously consider it, can’t we?
As well as calling for a Citizen’s Income that will protect everyone from
insecurity, the Green Party supports the principle of a national minimum
wage to give fair rewards for hard work. Current proposals sets the wage
too low and have loopholes which need closing. We want to see young people
receive the same wage for the same job as older people, and employment
law tightened to ensure people working on an "as an when" basis or under
contracts such as many homeworkers are also covered.
There
are continual cuts in the public sector, meaning that doctors, nurses
and teachers are leaving their professions, and many people working
for their local authorities are made redundant or employed only on a
casual basis, increasing unemployment and insecurity. Local and central
Government are major employers and are particularly important to strengthening
local communities. The valuable work done by people and the ability
of councils to strengthen their communities needs to be recognised.
The growing
squeeze on money for social spending is closely linked to the moves
toward European Monetary Union. The "Stability Pact" (a precondition
for joining the EMU) means that countries have put economic indicators
before public welfare. Not for nothing does EMU also stand for ‘Even
more Unemployment’. We don’t believe a single currency will benefit
anyone other than the biggest businesses - but if it must take place,
why do the criteria focus so heavily on restricting public spending
without setting any targets for the relief of poverty, the gap between
rich and poor, or environmental standards? The Green Group in the European
Parliament is calling to replace the Stability Pact with a Pact for
Employment and Sustainability. We need British MEPs of all parties to
support them.
WORK
THAT EMPOWERS
Flexibility
of workers is demanded without flexibility from employers. Work should
fit around our lives, our children and our needs rather than dictating
them. Flexible hours are often easy for employers to arrange and also
provides them with a happier and therefore more motivated workforce. We
would like to see more opportunities for employees to reduce hours which
could provide work for someone else, and for employees to have the right
for this to be considered.
Employment
rights that protect against unfair dismissal and exploitation are still
not available to all workers. We support such statutory protection from
day 1 in the job. Too many experience redundancy for no reason just
days before they would gain legal protection.
An old
idea that is finding new applications is the workers’ co-operative,
in which all the employees have an equal say in the management of their
business. In this country, they employ over 20,000 people, and in Mondragon,
Spain a community of co-operative businesses that have developed over
forty years form the backbone of the economy. This country still has
no effective national co-operative development strategy, despite all
the evidence that they provide good management and social responsibility
in all kinds of industries. We support the Industrial Common Ownership
Movement’s plan for developing co-operative enterprise.
No-one
should be forced into work they do not want to do. Many people undertake
jobs which are damaging to their physical or mental health or to the
environment for low wages. We believe that people should be able to
refuse to do jobs without loss of benefit and without facing absolute
poverty. A Citizen’s Income would allow everyone to do this.
Sometimes
people need time to decide what they want to do with their life; others
want to try something experimental, creative or unusual that may not
make a lot of money. There is no reason that we should not have more
control over our working lives. Westminster has the power to make a
real difference by giving anyone claiming jobseeker's allowance the
opportunity to take a six-month "sabbatical" when they do not have to
show they are available for and actively seeking work. People could
use this time to study, to undertake voluntary work or caring responsibilities,
to sort out problems such as homelessness, to build up their physical
or mental health, to research a new business idea, to work in the arts,
or to think abou the direction of their life. During this period, they
should have access to Employment Service and other Government resources
to achieve their goals.
These
are our three demands for a transformation of work from drudgery into
development: At the local level, business rates holidays for local business.
In Westminster, a jobseeker’s sabbatical. And in Europe, a pact for
employment and sustainability.
There
are things that people can do personally to improve their lives. There
is no point pointing the finger at politicians without agreeing to make
some changes ourselves. Use the response slip addressed to the Green
Party to find out more about one or more ways you can transform work
in your community. You could join a Local Exchange Trading System, join
a Trade Union, ask for flexible hours at work, start a Co-op or community
enterprise, work to "green" your workplace or improve your environment
locally.
Inform
yourself and others as well. Ask for the Green Party’s new booklet on
work (part of our European Series of Green Briefings), or for a copy
of our guide to Alternative Careers, ‘Working Alternatives’. We also
have a series of three booklets describing how to set up three kinds
of radical co-operative business - secondhand shops, social clubs and
media and events co-ops. Finally, to stay on top of all the latest in
Green Politics, subscribe to ‘Green World’ - or better still, join the
Green Party.
For copies
of the following publications visit GreenTrade
GreenTrade
supplies all of the Green Party's leaflets, booklets, policy briefings,
posters, stationary etc.
- What's
Work Campaign Pack (3 posters, 5 Green Files and 20 leaflets)
- £2
- Green
Briefing on Employment - £2.50
- Working
Alternatives - £1
"Transforming work in my community" - information is available
on:
- Local
Exchange Trading Schemes
- Co-operatives
and Community Enterprise
- Permaculture
- Credit
Unions
- Centres
for Change
- Setting
up Green Businesses
- Joining
a Trade Union
- Greening
Your Workplace (£2)
The Green Party of England and Wales: http://www.greenparty.org.uk/
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