go.oot.by.dog Posted February 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 The fightback is starting - TWO ARRESTS ON PEACEFUL GLASGOW AGAINST ATOS PROTEST 22 Feb, Glasgow – Two supporters of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! (Glasgow) were today violently arrested, Friday 22 February, shortly after 2pm outside the Royal Bank of Scotland on Gordon Street, Glasgow city centre. They were taking part in a peaceful rolling picket organised by Glasgow Against ATOS, a campaign committed to opposing the French multinational ATOS and the government’s attack on welfare. Both those arrested were taken to Stewart Street police station and were released at approximately 18:30. They are facing charges of liberating a prisoner from custody, resisting arrest and using a megaphone. Court date is set for Friday 22 March, for which solidarity protests are being organised. In an outrageous attack on democratic rights, their bail conditions include a ban on attending demonstrations in Glasgow city centre. This is the real reason behind these arrests: to disrupt and destroy political activity. Up to 50 Strathclyde police officers on foot, bike, police cars and vans, together with Community Safety CCTV vehicles, were mobilised in a planned operation against a demonstration of 20 people, under the direction of Inspector Muir at Stewart Street police station (A-division). The two supporters were arrested after aggressive provocation by police officers throughout the day. The immediate excuse for arrest was use of a megaphone. Hundreds of members of the public were left shocked as they witnessed officers violently attack peaceful protesters. As one witness told the GDC: ‘There was a peaceful protest outside the bank when the cops just waded in and started attacking people. I saw someone knocked to the ground and others shoved against walls. It was totally disproportionate.’ Despite the police violence, Glasgow Against ATOS demonstrators continued the protest to the headquarters of the Commonwealth Games, followed by up to ten officers with another police van already in position at the offices on Albion Street. Today’s arrests were clearly planned. As Glasgow Against ATOS has grown in strength and influence over the past six months – building solidarity with the poor, the sick and disabled – police presence on the protests has also grown. The multinational companies, the banks, and their political allies, cannot allow the possibility of resistance developing to the government’s wholesale attack on welfare. With Glasgow due to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and ATOS as lead sponsor, any disruption to the corporate PR machine cannot be tolerated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted February 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2013 Rise in Atos rulings overturned by appeals http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/379841/Rise-in-Atos-rulings-overturned-by-appeals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Britain on benefits on channel 4 (link below) http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/4od#3487846 Mixed emotions about this one as to the best of my knowledge the Paralympians did not join in with the protest at the time of the Olympics against ATos and the cuts being made. However they still put there case forward and it mirrors the difficulties being faced by most with disabilities. Absolutely shocking to see the marines story, a man who has risked his life for his country and to be treated in the way he was is an absolute disgrace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted February 26, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 It would seem that "Anonymous" are not to happy with the way things are going and are planning action Some info on "Anonymous" can be found here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous_%28group%29 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Previously reported in the Shetland Times on 11/02/13 Deplorable’ welfare reform condemned by local Councillors and they are going to contact Northern Isles MP Alistair Carmichael to raise their concerns about this. And on the 27/02/13 a Motion was made and Question proposed in the House Of Commons, That this House deplores and opposes the Government’s introduction of the housing benefit under-occupancy penalty; believes it to be unjust and unworkable; notes growing public anger at its introduction; believes that the Government is showing a reckless lack of care and attention to the consequences of its introduction for low-income households affected by disability; further believes that it will adversely affect, amongst others, families of service personnel, foster families and those struggling with the effects of family breakdown; notes that some parts of the UK will be disproportionately hit because of the mismatch between the available social housing stock and the needs of tenants; further notes that according to the Department for Work and Pensions’ Equality Impact Assessment, 63 per cent of the 660,000 claimants affected by the under-occupancy penalty or their partners are disabled; believes that the measure unfairly penalises tenants in rural and inner-city areas; further believes the under-occupancy penalty will fail to meet its stated objectives; and calls on the Government to abandon this policy immediately.-(Dr Eilidh Whiteford.) How they voted - http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130227/debtext/130227-0004.htm And i see that MP Alistair Carmichael voted against the motion so i am not sure the local Council will benefit from raising their concerns with him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Atos nurses were told: ‘You’re too nice to work here’ - Full story here - http://disabilitynewsservice.com/2013/02/atos-nurses-were-told-youre-too-nice-to-work-here/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 Just when you think it can't get any worse!! Claimants could be left without any income replacement benefit at all when challenging a decision that they are fit for work, the government has confirmed. Once the new system of mandatory reconsiderations before appeals is introduced, employment and support allowance (ESA)claimants will lose their right to be paid the assessment rate when they first challenge a decision. Instead, they will have to try to sign on as available for work and claim Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or manage without either benefit until the reconsideration has been carried out. Only once an appeal has been lodged will they be able to reclaim ESA. The decision to refuse to pay ESA during the reconsideration period was confirmed by Lord Freud on 13 February, when he told the House of Lords: “I turn now to ESA. At the moment, if someone appeals a refusal of ESA, it can continue to be paid pending the appeal being heard; this is not changing. What is changing is that there can be no appeal until there has been a mandatory reconsideration. So there will be a gap in payment. In that period-and I repeat that applications will be dealt with quickly so that this is kept to a minimum-the claimant could claim jobseeker's allowance or universal credit. Alternative sources of funds are available. Of course, he or she may choose to wait for the outcome of the application and then, if necessary, appeal and be paid ESA at that point.†However, there is no time-limit for how long the DWP can spend carrying out a mandatory reconsideration. Given the ever increasing workload and ever decreasing staff numbers, the probability of reconsiderations being carried out in weeks rather than months does not seem high.In addition, some people attempting to claim JSA may find Jobcentre Plus staff attempting to refuse to accept their claim on the grounds that, because of their health condition, they are not available for and actively seeking work. This may be particularly the case as claimants are likely to be required to continue submitting sick notes in relation to their ESA claim whilst presenting themselves as fit for work in relation to their JSA claim. Claimants may well find themselves in the nightmare scenario of being found too fit to claim ESA but too sick to claim JSA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted February 28, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2013 'Bedroom tax' is 'appalling' says paediatrician Cuts to housing benefit for families with disabled children are "ludicrous", "unfair" and "appalling", according to a group of medical experts speaking exclusively to Channel 4 News. http://www.channel4.com/news/bedroom-tax-is-appalling-says-paediatrician Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 No word from council over mental health cuts http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2013/03/01/no-word-from-council-over-mental-health-cuts Even more hardship for the people who are in need of help and support and with no means of obtaining it from other sources but this time it is from our local Council! So again the most vulnerable in our society appear to be taking the brunt of the cuts. Already having to try and cope with the Cuts and cap to their benefits, with the bedroom tax, the indignity and absolute nightmare that is the 'Work Capability Assessment' only to be told "your fit for work" which in most cases is completely wrong and just to cap it all off the local Council is withdrawing over a million pounds from its budget towards services they provide towards helping people with mental health problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted March 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 We cap benefits but not bonuses. How on earth are we 'all in this together'? http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2013/mar/01/benefits-bankers-bonuses-earth-all-together Good article in the Guardian newspaper and i totally agree with how it finishes up by saying - "And when a society gets so out of kilter with itself, social disorder is not far round the corner. Remember the riots? I suspect we haven't seen the last of them." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 The Secret Government War Against The Most Vulnerable http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=c3d_1359359960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 "These out of touch Tories make my blood boil": Army mum's fury over bedroom tax - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bedroom-tax-mum-twin-soldiers-1738521 Bedroom tax 'could cost taxpayers more than it saves': Residents may be forced into more expensive private rents - http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/bedroom-tax-could-cost-more-1734368 The UK Government should abandon its plan to introduce a bedroom tax, Scotland’s Housing and Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess said today - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2013/02/scrap-bedroom-tax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted March 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2013 http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q799/magnacube/9485be8a-e6ec-4c4d-b40a-a75a7eb895cc_zps00b6c75b.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercloud Posted March 3, 2013 Report Share Posted March 3, 2013 Scottish NHS bosses given "golf holiday" by ATOS http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nhs-bosses-slammed-for-attending-golf-1390770 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
go.oot.by.dog Posted March 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2013 Scottish NHS bosses given "golf holiday" by ATOS http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/nhs-bosses-slammed-for-attending-golf-1390770^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^More corruption ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Details of 33 protests against the bedroom tax which are taking place through out the country. http://blacktrianglecampaign.org/2013/03/01/announcing-the-details-of-33-bedroomtax-protests-please-share/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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