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    • Guides
      • Stuff your boss (doesn't want you to know)
      • Stuff your sexist boss (doesn't want you to know) (2018)
      • Stuff your landlord (doesn't want you to know) (2016)
      • Is your cleaning job killing you? A guide to cleaners health and safety (2017)
      • Office worker’s health and safety - your rights and how to use them (2015)
      • A migrant's guide to Manchester (2016) [en es]
      • A migrant's guide to London (2014) [en es pl]
      • Strike - a guide to walking out (2014)
    • Pamphlets and books
      • Anarcho-syndicalism in Britain – a little history (2015)
        • 1. 19th century to 1914 - The First International, growth of industrial unionism and the Great Unrest
        • 2. 1914–1945 - State suppression and the Bolshevik turn – how Lenin’s seeming success drew militants to the Comintern
        • 3. 1945–1994 - The Anarchist Federation of Britain, Syndicalist Workers’ Federation and Direct Action Movement
        • 4. Today’s movement - A short look at the strategy and thinking of the modern Solidarity Federation
      • Office worker’s health and safety - your rights and how to use them (2015)
      • Anarchism and Anarcho-syndicalism (Rudolf Rocker, 2014)
        • Introduction
        • 1. Ideology of Anarchism
        • 2. History of anarchist philosphy, from Lao-Tse to Kropotkin
        • 3. The origins of anarcho-syndicalism
        • 4. Socialism and anarcho-syndicalism in France
        • 5. The role of the trade unions: anarcho-syndicalist view
        • 6. The struggle in Germany and Spain
        • 7. The political struggle: anarcho-syndicalist view
        • 8. Anarcho-syndicalism since the First World War
      • Fighting for ourselves - anarcho-syndicalism and the class struggle (2012)
        • Introduction
        • 1. The mainstream workers' movement
        • 2. Radical currents in the workers' movement
        • 3. Anarcho-syndicalism in the 20th century
        • 4. Capitalism and the class struggle since World War II
        • 5. Anarcho-syndicalism in the 21st century
        • Endnotes
      • Workmates - direct action workplace organising on the London underground (2011)
      • The Economics of freedom (2003)
      • A history of anarcho-syndicalism (2001)
      • Out of the frying pan, a critical look at works councils (1998)
      • Health and safety at work - an anarcho-syndicalist approach (1997)
      • Anarcho-syndicalism in Puerto Real (1994)
    • Leaflets and flyers
      • Solidarity Federation Education Union (SFEU)
      • Solidarity Federation Hospitality Workers Union (SFHWU)
      • Why do we organise?
      • This is our flag - it tells you what we stand for
      • What is anarcho-syndicalism anyway?
      • Anarchism and Syndicalism (short version)
      • Anarchism and Syndicalism
      • Towards a better union
      • Protest is not enough
      • Building beyond elections
      • We should run our workplaces
      • We should run our communities
      • We should run our movements
    • Newsletters
      • Brighton Solidarity
        • Brighton Solidarity #3
      • Education Worker
        • Education Worker #10 Victimisation (2013)
        • Education Worker #9 (2012)
        • Education Worker #8 Academy Special (2012)
      • Wildcat!
        • Wildcat! #13 (Jan 2013)
        • Wildcat! (Winter 2012)
        • Wildcat! #6 (Summer 2011)
        • Wildcat! #5 (Spring 2011)
        • Wildcat! #4 (Dec 2010)
        • Wildcat! #3 (Oct-Nov 2010)
        • Wildcat! #2 (Jul-Aug 2010)
        • Wildcat! Football for the fans NOT for fat cats! (Jul 2010)
        • Wildcat! #1 (May-June 2010)
      • May Day Bulletin (Newcastle SolFed, 2014)
    • Direct Action
      • Direct Action #2 (2024)
      • Direct Action #1 (2023)
      • Direct action #47 (Summer 2009)
    • Catalyst
      • Catalyst #29 (Feb 2012)
      • Catalyst #28 (Oct 2011)
      • Catalyst #27 (Jun 2011)
      • Catalyst #26 (Mar 2011)
      • Catalyst #25 (Dec 2010)
      • Catalyst #24 (Summer 2010)
    • SelfEd
      • A history of anarcho-syndicalism
        • Block 1
          • Unit 1: The Origins of Capitalism
          • Unit 2: Britain: The Radical Period 1750-1840
          • Unit 3: The First International
          • Unit 4: France 1870-1918 Early revolutionary unions
          • Unit 5: Revolutionary Syndicalism in Britain, 1870-1910
          • Unit 6: Revolutionary Syndicalism in Britain and Ireland, 1910-17
        • Block 2
          • Unit 7: Mexico 1870-1920: Colonialism and Revolution
          • Unit 8: USA 1886-1930 - The Wobblies
          • Unit 9: Anarcho-syndicalism in Argentina 1870-1939
          • Unit 10: Sweden 1889-1939
          • Unit 11: Russia I: 1850-1917
          • Unit 12 Russia II: 1917-30
        • Block 3
          • Unit 13: Going Global - International Organisation, 1872-1922
          • Unit 14: Anarcho-syndicalism in Britain, 1914-30
          • Unit 15 Spain, 1868-1936: Build-up to Revolution
          • Unit 16 Spain: Culture, education, women and sexuality
          • Unit 17: Spain 1936-39: Revolution and Civil War
          • Unit 18: Spain - The Collectives
        • Block 4
          • Unit 19: Britain, 1930-1950 - The Era of Reform
          • Unit 20: Britain, 1950-1990 - Decline of Social Democracy
          • Unit 21: anarcho-syndicalism 1939-99
          • Unit 22: Roots of modern anarcho-syndicalism: freedom, oppression & rebellion
          • Unit 23: Roots of modern anarcho-syndicalism: morality, culture & tactics
          • Unit 24: The spirit of anarcho-syndicalism
    • Letters
  • IWA

Workfare: You're putting your customers off, Mr Manager

By Rob Ray, 19 May, 2012

Picketing shops can reap some rich rewards when the cause is as uncontroversial as "this lot force people to work for free." The general crowd response is along the lines of "really, they do that? What a bunch of gits." 

That sort of response to a campaign makes a grey day shine for us and makes shop managers very, very angry.

So angry in fact that the Holland and Barrett manager on Mare Street in Hackney, where North London SolFed did its latest picket in the battle to stop Workfare today, insisted on standing in his own doorway to berate us and ended up putting off nearly as many customers as we did.

There were quite a few, Mr Manager. Disapproving faces, Mr Manager. Your bottom line, Mr Manager, walking away because your firm doesn't pay its staff, Mr Manager.

And typically of a man with no good arguments, within a few minutes he'd hit on his main point, which he then stuck to like a limpet. "Why can't you bother another shop, there's loads of us doing this." We have done, Mr Manager, lots and lots of Hollands and Barretts up and down the country.

And we will continue to, until your company and the others stop undercutting wages by taking advantage of the desperation of the unemployed and the strong arm of the state.

Your company is like that kid who bounces around behind the bully and grabs the leftover change from his victims - and the Solidarity Federation doesn't like bullies, or their sidekicks.

We'll be out there as long as we must, we'll tell your customers all about your nasty little tricks and ask them to take action on it too, until you get on the blower to your top dogs and push them to drop out of Workfare.

And with a little luck, we'll get your staff talking about this. About how your dodgy deals with the government are undercutting their wages, screwing around with their shift patterns and mucking up their work. About how, in a climate where you can't just jump in and out of a job any more, it might be worth getting together to make change, Mr Manager. 

  • Holland & Barrett
  • Hackney
  • Boycott Workfare
  • workfare

Guides

Your rights at work

Why do we organise? Capitalism is shit, oppression is shit - but what can we at SolFed do about it?

Why do we organise?

This is our flag - it tells you what we stand for

this-is-our-flag

Direct Action #2 (2024)

Direct Action #2 (2024)

Anarcho-syndicalism in Britain – a little history (2015)

Anarcho-syndicalism in Britain – a little history (2015)

Office worker’s health and safety - your rights and how to use them (2015)

Office worker’s health and safety - your rights and how to use them (2015)

Anarchism and Anarcho-syndicalism (Rudolf Rocker, 2014)

Anarchism and Anarcho-syndicalism (Rudolf Rocker, 2014)

Fighting for ourselves - anarcho-syndicalism and the class struggle (2012)

Fighting for ourselves - anarcho-syndicalism and the class struggle (2012)

Theory & Practice 1 - Workmates - direct action workplace organising on the London underground (2011)

Theory & Practice 1 - Workmates - direct action workplace organising on the London underground (2011)

The Economics of freedom (2003)

The Economics of freedom (2003)

A history of anarcho-syndicalism (SelfEd Collective, 24 unit series, 2001)

A history of anarcho-syndicalism (SelfEd Collective, 24 unit series, 2001)

Out of the frying pan, a critical look at works councils (1998)

Out of the frying pan, a critical look at works councils (1998)

Health and safety at work - an anarcho-syndicalist approach (1997)

Health and safety at work - an anarcho-syndicalist approach (1997)

Theory & Practice 2 - Anarcho-syndicalism in Puerto Real (1994)

Theory & Practice 2 - Anarcho-syndicalism in Puerto Real (1994)
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