Hull Solidarity Federation took to the streets at 12pm on Saturday 12th May, to protest against Holland and Barrett's participation in the government's "Workfare" program. We provided a visible and persuasive picket, requesting people refuse to shop at Holland and Barrett so long as it continues to use unpaid labour in its shops.
Before doing so, we handed a letter to the staff, indicating that our picket was not aimed at them, but only their employers. Fortunately for them, due to it being a Saturday, there were no "workfare" staff there at the time. We also handed out a number of leaflets to passersby and potential Holland and Barrett customers.
Only through collective action and awareness raising, such as informational pickets, can we seek to truly persuade people of the validity of struggle, and the need to stand up for our interests as a class. Our message was clear: Workfare is not only unfair on the claimants forced to work for free, it is also used to deprive all working people of paid jobs and drive down labour costs by destabilising our pay and conditions.
See below for a link to our letter to Holland and Barrett staff, and leaflet.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/93354607/h-b-Leaflet-Final
http://www.scribd.com/doc/93354703/h-b-letter