Jobcentre staff will go on strike today because.....

Its NOT jobcentre staff but its the staff who work in their call centres ............. the actual job centre staff do a hell of a lot more then their call centre colleagues who incidentally are moaning coz they reckon to achieve their targets then it means spending LESS time on the fone per customer . Also the previous government decided to cut a large percentage of ALL jobentre / benefits agency jobs BUT increase the workload to try and save money .

does this mean i don't have to waste my time and go and sign today then?

I've used the service before and after the new targets, and it has deteriorated massively. I suppose some will want that, then they can privatise it.

I've heard about far worse sectors than the public, rather than being annoyed at them you should count yourself lucky......

does this mean i don't have to waste my time and go and sign today then?

all it means is that if you fone up then the chances are that your call will either not get answered or will get diverted to either a job centre or a benefits processing centre .

Its NOT jobcentre staff but its the staff who work in their call centres ............. the actual job centre staff do a hell of a lot more then their call centre colleagues who incidentally are moaning coz they reckon to achieve their targets then it means spending LESS time on the fone per customer . Also the previous government decided to cut a large percentage of ALL jobentre / benefits agency jobs BUT increase the workload to try and save money .

Not to mention they havent had a pay rise for 2 years and they are far from well paid.

Dont know about your Mrs Mart, but my mother had taken on more work than ever before and is disgraced they won't get a pairwise for it

Its NOT jobcentre staff but its the staff who work in their call centres ............. the actual job centre staff do a hell of a lot more then their call centre colleagues who incidentally are moaning coz they reckon to achieve their targets then it means spending LESS time on the fone per customer . Also the previous government decided to cut a large percentage of ALL jobentre / benefits agency jobs BUT increase the workload to try and save money .

Not to mention they havent had a pay rise for 2 years and they are far from well paid.

Dont know about your Mrs Mart, but my mother had taken on more work than ever before and is disgraced they won't get a pairwise for it

Hannah after 25 years in the job she can do it blind folded and she actually beats the targets every day .......... Im sure ur mam is exactly the same ?? Yep no pay rise just more work and less staff so Im guessing its over to ex City fan Mr Savotka so step up again ??

Hannah after 25 years in the job she can do it blind folded and she actually beats the targets every day .......... Im sure ur mam is exactly the same ?? Yep no pay rise just more work and less staff so Im guessing its over to ex City fan Mr Savotka so step up again ??

Actually my mother doesn't beat the targets much I dont think. She used to, but then they closed the department up in Scotland and moved all the work to Merthyr without hiring staff despite having double the work. What department its your Sue in? My mother is in overpayments.

Hannah after 25 years in the job she can do it blind folded and she actually beats the targets every day .......... Im sure ur mam is exactly the same ?? Yep no pay rise just more work and less staff so Im guessing its over to ex City fan Mr Savotka so step up again ??

Actually my mother doesn't beat the targets much I dont think. She used to, but then they closed the department up in Scotland and moved all the work to Merthyr without hiring staff despite having double the work. What department its your Sue in? My mother is in overpayments.

ESA but they swap her from pillar to post once she's finished her work for the day ...... telephone referals last week was her " 2nd job " I think ?? God bless the unemployed or else they wouldnt have a job

Forgive me for not having much sympathy with their cause but during my brief time on the dole in the past my experience has been one of where the staff (the majority sadly, not the minority) have been patronising, helpless and ignorant at the Job Centre. I found myself feeling humiliated with individuals who clearly had lost all self worth and confidence doing their best to make themselves feel better by putting me down. They would refuse to let me apply for certain jobs because I was under-qualified (loads of admin assistant jobs, one which I applied for on the sly and actually got it with the Council) and they would always do the 'tut tut tut' if I hadn't got a job even if I'd been to interviews and been rejected.

I understand that there are individuals who have been given too much and deserve more pay but unfortunately I think this is mainly because the majority pass the buck, can't be arsed and I focus that abuse towards the management at these places. How can the work force be determined and committed if the manager don't give a f**k?

Forgive me for not having much sympathy with their cause but during my brief time on the dole in the past my experience has been one of where the staff (the majority sadly, not the minority) have been patronising, helpless and ignorant at the Job Centre. I found myself feeling humiliated with individuals who clearly had lost all self worth and confidence doing their best to make themselves feel better by putting me down. They would refuse to let me apply for certain jobs because I was under-qualified (loads of admin assistant jobs, one which I applied for on the sly and actually got it with the Council) and they would always do the 'tut tut tut' if I hadn't got a job even if I'd been to interviews and been rejected.

I understand that there are individuals who have been given too much and deserve more pay but unfortunately I think this is mainly because the majority pass the buck, can't be arsed and I focus that abuse towards the management at these places. How can the work force be determined and committed if the manager don't give a f**k?

dont get confused between the job centre staff and the benefits agency staff as they are 2 seperate departments but operating under the same name ............ you will find that there's no love loss between them . Its the staff in the call centres only who are on strike today and NOT those in the jobcentre or indeed those behind the scenes in the benefits processing centres .

Forgive me for not having much sympathy with their cause but during my brief time on the dole in the past my experience has been one of where the staff (the majority sadly, not the minority) have been patronising, helpless and ignorant at the Job Centre. I found myself feeling humiliated with individuals who clearly had lost all self worth and confidence doing their best to make themselves feel better by putting me down. They would refuse to let me apply for certain jobs because I was under-qualified (loads of admin assistant jobs, one which I applied for on the sly and actually got it with the Council) and they would always do the 'tut tut tut' if I hadn't got a job even if I'd been to interviews and been rejected.

I understand that there are individuals who have been given too much and deserve more pay but unfortunately I think this is mainly because the majority pass the buck, can't be arsed and I focus that abuse towards the management at these places. How can the work force be determined and committed if the manager don't give a f**k?

While I don't agree with how you were treated, I can understand why the staff arn't the most helpful. They have to have security guards in most Job Centres (which says it all), they have to have the offices fumigated once a week because of some pikeys going in and out, they spoken to like shit and generally abused. My mother worked in the job centre front desk a few times and would come home with some right stories of her experiences. They would then see smackheads come in and sign on, get their money then go right across the street to their dealer. I know this isn't everyone, but job centre staff have to put up with alot of crap.

Public sector workers are exactly that, they work for the Public good.

By that I mean they are not wealth creators like those in the private sector, they are public servants who provide the public services we all rely on from time to time.

Rather than trying to impose private sector rules on them, they should be trained exclusively in delivering excellent results for those who access the services from time to time.

Target driven mentality simply means cutting corners and lowering of standards, end of.

Forgive me for not having much sympathy with their cause but during my brief time on the dole in the past my experience has been one of where the staff (the majority sadly, not the minority) have been patronising, helpless and ignorant at the Job Centre. I found myself feeling humiliated with individuals who clearly had lost all self worth and confidence doing their best to make themselves feel better by putting me down. They would refuse to let me apply for certain jobs because I was under-qualified (loads of admin assistant jobs, one which I applied for on the sly and actually got it with the Council) and they would always do the 'tut tut tut' if I hadn't got a job even if I'd been to interviews and been rejected.

I understand that there are individuals who have been given too much and deserve more pay but unfortunately I think this is mainly because the majority pass the buck, can't be arsed and I focus that abuse towards the management at these places. How can the work force be determined and committed if the manager don't give a f**k?

There is a lot in what you say Zabier; it was certainly like what you describe back in the bad old days of the 1980's.

However, the way the JCP works has moved on a lot since then and there is no actual need to visit the JobCentrePlus at all these days. Claims for JSA, ESA, and Income Support are usually done over the phone and 'job seeking' is almost entirely internet based these days.

I have helped a number of people find jobs by doing Internet searches and making applications etc. without any reference to the JCP whose role now is mainly processing benefit applications and keeping an eye on those who are able to work and ensuring they are looking for work rather than slipping into a benefits culture.

I think that's where the JCP staff face their biggest challenges and from where they get the biggest amount of abuse. The system is in complete chaos because of things like the Work Capability Test and the terrible recession which is devastating so many lives.

Throw in bad management and you have a disaster on your hands.