Community Wage (Workfare) information was distributed to the public outside Work and Income NZ office in the Christchurch suburb of Riccarton today by the Beneficiary Action Collective.

The Collective set up a table covered with informative publications, as well as handing out different leaflets to people entering the office. Even staff members going out for lunch were given leaflets, for as a Collective rep pointed out, often WINZ staff know little about the very policies they are supposed to carry out.

Riccarton is the third WINZ office BAS have targeted in this manner, and they intend to cover all branches in Christchurch. On the whole, public response has been quite good, with a number of people stopping to discuss in detail the implications of CW.

The Collective said that one of the problems with the Community Wage scheme is that Community Wage workers have few of the rights that other workers have. Despite the fact that they are supposed to do the same sort of work and have the same level of expectations placed on them as regular workers, Community Wage workers are not entitled to the minimum wage, paid leave, sick leave or holiday pay. They also miss out on the "benefits" of being covered by the Employment Contracts Act and ACC.

They also pointed out the guidelines WINZ have published in its booklet for groups.

1. You cannot be made to work longer than eight hours in any one day.
   
2. You cannot be made to work more than 20 hours in one week unless you agree to. If you do agree to, you must be paid at least the minimum wage for these extra hours. You then become an employee and your sponsor has all the responsibilities of an employer.
   
3. You can only be made to work five days a week. You only have to work on Saturdays if you agree to do so. You cannot work on Sundays.
   
4. The community group must provide you with time off to job search or attend job interviews.
   
5. Safety equipment is to be provided by the community group.
   
6. The community group must provide all the tools to do the job.
   
7. You are entitled to a $21 per week participation allowance paid by the community group. An additional $20 per week can be claimed from WINZ for other work-related expenses.

One of the leaflets handed out reminded CW participants to be meticulous and careful at their Workfare jobs, observe Safety First and don't subject their bosses with any unnecessary surprises. It also suggests that workmates should support each other if they experience problems.

Although the Beneficiary Action Collective don't have a website, they can be contacted at PO Box 22-076, Christchurch.

--
Poor Peoples Embassy
Christchurch, New Zealand
"Giving Voice to the Poor"

Ngai Tahu corporate headquarters in Christchurch was picketed today because of its involvement in the work-for-welfare scheme commonly known as Workfare.

Ngai Tahu is the dominant iwi in Christchurch and claims 80% of the South Island. Its business side is the largest broker in the South Island for the Community Wage scheme. It gets paid by the government to persuade community groups to take on beneficiaries as cheap labour.

The picket was organised by the Beneficiary Action Collective who handed out leaflets explaining their reasons for the protest.

"Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu is the largest Community Brokering Organisation in the South Island. This means it is contracted to the government to place unemployed people in Community Wage jobs. It is profiting from forced labour.

"The Community Wage scheme, known overseas as workfare, is part of a continuing government attack on beneficiaries. It does nothing to address the causes of unemployment, nor does it create any real jobs. Its sole aim is to punish beneficiaries.

"The Maori Employment and Training Commission recently called the Community Wage scheme a "cop out" and a "failure". We demanded that Ngai Tahu end their involvement with this scheme."

A spokesperson for the Collective said he was initially concerned that they would be "accused of playing the race card" but this didn't happen. He explained "It's got nothing to do with the targeting of Maori, five turned up at the protest." The picket was not against Maori, he added. It was against organisations making money out of beneficiaries.

Indeed, he exchanging hongi with a number of Maori visiting the Ngai Tahu offices. He explained that they were members of his whanau. He had been a voluntary worker in the Inner City East area which is home for many unemployed Maori and Pakeha. Many passing young Maori agreed with the picket and some joined for a while.

BAC's loudhailer was out of action so the group's spokesperson had to shout out his message to passersby. He said that the brokers are the worst of thos involved in Workfare because they are getting paid to enslave beneficiaries. These people are the sellers of slaves," he said. "Community Wage people are asked to work for $20 a week. They have no entitlements and are being told where to go. Beneficiaries should stop being punished for the woes of the country," he said.

Ngai Tahu's corporate headquarters is located in the old Reserve Bank building in Hereford Street - the finacial centre of Christchurch.

Inside the building's main entrance way two police officers stood guard. One wandered down to check if this reporter had a sense of humour. He asked if the group were paying royalties for using Ngai Tahu name on their placards and who to send the bill for police time. He also wondered if (unemployed workers rights activist) Sue Bradford was coming down from Auckland.

At other times a police car containing two bored-looking cops cruised by. Indeed they looked peeved off that there was no action.

During the picket a sign reading "GET JOBS YOU BUMS" appeared in a second floor window of the (bishop) Alan Pyatt House building across the road. It is the home of Anglican Care which looks after the unemployed and other at-risk people.

On investigation this Embassy reporter found out the sign was done by someone who claimed he was the boss of "Saker Electricity". He was in the process of refurbishing the floor and was employing three students to lay cable. He said if the protesters were complaining they should get jobs. He claimed there were many electrical firms screaming for labourers. But apart from Jensens he couldn't think of any. He was from Auckland.

The picket's spokesperson said that on one side of the road was Ngai Tahu. On the other side was Anglican Care who use Workfare. "I thought they were there to care for people, not to punish them," he told passersby.

Earlier this year, the Beneficiary Action Collection had picketed Anglican Care for being involved in Workfare.

--
Poor Peoples Embassy
Christchurch, New Zealand
"Giving Voice to the Poor"

About 40 people signed a petition today for WINZ to supply toilet access at their High St welfare office in Christchurch, NZ.

At lunch time the Beneficiary Action Collective set up an information table outside the office that attracted many sympathizers who weren't welfare beneficiaries. It also attracted the attention of two TV news crews. TV3 said that if the item was going to be used it would be tacked at the end of the current news interest that a WINZ manager spent over $160,000 to charter a jet to a hotel resort.

Even the manager of WINZ Christchurch Central David Rhodes invited members of BAC inside and discuss the matter. This is in sharp contrast to the usual policy of ignoring outside protests and call the police if it's conducted inside. Before the invitation though David spent some time looking out the office window towards the TV crew while talking on a cell phone.

The Collective decided to remain outside of a further half hour explaining to passersby the issue before representative went in to see David Rhodes.

Once inside a private interview room David denied that there was a policy of exclusion for WINZ "customers". However, staff had to be careful because there had been two incidences of needles being left there and excrement spread over the walls. He admitted that this sort of behaviour wasn't typical of beneficiaries.

Last month BAC wrote to David asking that toilets be provided but there was no reply. Today David said he never got the letter.

He was asked on a number of occasions to give his policy in writing. His reply was confusing. He explained that each office makes up their own policy on toilet use. However, any statement of policy that was to be made public had to be done through Wellington. He promised to talk to the regional public relations advisor Miringa Sheehan about drafting a letter of reply, but he couldn't do it straight away because she was away from the office. He wanted to know how long BAC was going to protest outside and if they were planning on returning.

About ten minutes after BAC had returned outside a young person was dropped off by an older model Mercedes and pleasantly inquired what BAC was doing. She confirmed that she was Miringa but couldn't give an answer about toilet policy because that was the job of the manager.

BAC has said if they don't get a reply within two days that they will renew their protest.

For the moment ordinary members of the public seemed genuinely shocked that beneficiaries weren't allowed to use WINZ toilets. One person who identified herself as a training provider and was decked out in gold necklace and bracelet suggested that the protesters targeted "more important issues like overspending." In reply the spokesperson for the group said that toilets was a basic human need.

The manager David Rhodes also told a TV crew that beneficiaries were allowed to use the toilets. However, before the protest a member of the crew checked up on BAC's claims by going into the office and was denied access.

When the Beneficiary Action Collective set up their banners and tables outside the WINZ High St office today to protest against the lack of toilet access for beneficiaries their representatives were invited inside to discuss the issue.

Inside the reps were informed that the office manager David Rhodes was away sick but the regional public relations advisor Miringa Sheehan and regional commissioner Bruce Ash were available to talk with them.

Apparently there was some confusion over the letter BAC had written to WINZ. Miringa thought BAC wanted to know the national policy on toilet access and had contacted Wellington. She found out there was no blanket policy. However, for the moment BAC are primary concerned with the High St office stance.

The reps were given a guided tour of the toilets - male, female and handicapped - where staff had left their coats and other personal belongings. BAC was told that beneficiaries were allowed to use the toilets but must be accompanied by a staff member.

A BAC rep told the Embassy that they are "not very happy" with today's meeting. They plan to continue their protest action until they get "a suitable response" from David Rhodes. They thought that WINZ management agreed to meet with them to offset the adverse publicity WINZ is receiving at the moment because of top management overspending on regular conferences and other self-indulgence.

During the meeting Miringa said that she had looked for files on who was in BAC - to know who to send her letter of reply to.

Outside in the cold showery winter weather, near the advertised beginning time of the protest, two police officers walked passed over the road and then returned a few minutes later before disappearing. A TV camera crew turned up but never left their flash four-wheel-drive. And my Kiwi-icon Swanndri woollen bush shirt got wetter and wetter....

A makeshift dunny was erected outside the central Christchurch WINZ welfare office today by people wanting it to supply toilets for beneficiaries.

This marks the third Wednesday in succession that the Beneficiary Action Collective has staged what they call "an information sharing day" outside the Work and Income office. And for the third time, management invited representatives inside to "discuss" the issue.

Office manager David Rhodes re-iterated that WINZ is under no legal obligation to supply toilets to beneficiaries, and no legal obligation to "force" staff to share their toilets with beneficiaries. However, he was prepared to allow beneficiaries access if they were in genuine need and were escorted by a staff member. David is allowing this concession to "save beneficiaries embarrassment" but they will need to ask permission first, for he won't consider putting up signs pointing to the toilets. Furthermore, if beneficiaries abuse this privilege them it will be withdrawn.

After the meeting, one of the BAC reps said that "very little has changed in two weeks. We believe this is not good enough."

The protest is building up in numbers, with representatives from two other concerned groups joining in this week. Although only a dozen turned up, that is double last week's supporters and despite the chilly overcast winter's day that hardly topped 7 degrees celsius. Some members of the public also joined in for a while and many more stopped and signed a petition requesting toilets. In little over an hour some 120 signatures were collected - which is very good going for an unpublicised event in Christchurch. Between a third and a half of signatories were office workers at lunch or didn't otherwise look like beneficiaries or tertiary students.

The corrugated cardboard and batten long-drop model toilet caught a lot of people's attention, especially since it was draped in toilet paper and sported a picture of the flamboyant head of WINZ, Christine Rankin, framed in a plastic toilet seat. Christine has been in constant media focus since her money-spending extravagances hit the headlines about three weeks ago.

This contrast in lifestyles was emphasised by a BAC member using a loud hailer borrowed from a supporter. He pointed out that a "lot of money has been spent on WINZ offices over the past 12 months; new desks, new computers, new carpets. Why don't they spend it on beneficiaries" who are going without, he asked.

"Beneficiaries need to go with dignity and not ask reception who will laugh and question their need,"he told passersby. One mother who signed the petition spoke to the Embassy about the hassles she has waiting in WINZ because there are "no toilets for the kids."

Some time after BAC reps returned outside after speaking with WINZ management, the manager David Rhodes and public relations officer Miringa Sheenan were sighted standing together at the back of the office looking apprehensively out to the protest. At the same time 12 people, not including children, were queuing up at the reception desk or waiting to be seen. Shortly after two reporters from the main radio network turned up and interviewed BAC.

Yesterday, during a phone call between BAC and WINZ, Miringa expressed her dismay that the protest was going ahead and quickly arranged today's luke-warm meeting with the manager.

The Beneficiary Action Collective said they are not happy with the lack of progress and will be back same time next Wednesday, but have yet to decide on what action is to be taken.

"Who's in charge here?" a lone police sergeant asked beneficiaries protesting against the lack of toilet access in Winz.

That question could have been directed at the Work and Income NZ staff themselves.

For the fourth week in a row the Beneficiary Action Collective protested outside the Christchurch Central Winz office. Again they erected a cardboard outhouse on the footpath and collected signatures in the presence of three or four TV camera crews.

A election candidate for the emcumbent National Party govt turned up and started talking to one of the crews. He said Winz couldn't supply toilets because that would mean cutting back on allowances paid to beneficiaries.

Since office management didn't come out to discuss the matter, the protesters picked up the cardboard shed and carried it inside. One of the staff, Caroline Downey, who said she was a "case manager" (client officer), said the proper manager David Rhodes was away at a meeting and told the seven or eight protesters to leave the premises. When they didn't she phoned the police. She then told the Tv news crews also to leave. After some argument they eventually did. Protesters accused her of censoring the media. She replied that she didn't mind the crews filming the protesters but they were filming others as well.

The police seemed to take their recent "softly softly" approach to an extreme and took their time turning up. After some minutes the protesters got bored with hanging around and all but walked out, some calling for the police to hurry up. After roughly 15 minutes a lone very young sergeant arrived and spoke to Caroline. She pointed out the protesters, who by now had had enough "taking a stand" and were sitting down in the reception area.

It was then that the police officer quietly uttered his naive line "Who's in charge here?" to protesters. He then asked them to leave which gladly they did, one rushing off to collect her kids from childcare before it closed.

Soon after the protesters were outside again, PR officer Miringa Sheehan and regional commissioner Bruce Ash popped their heads out the door and invited the media in. Later, one of the TV interviewers said they didn't have much to say for themselves.

BAC will meet on Friday to decide what to do next to secure toilets for beneficiaries.

A protester was issued with a trespass banning order as he stood outside WINZ High St office yesterday.

At the time, the Beneficiary Action Collective was staging its fifth week of protest against WINZ refusal to allow beneficiaries unhindered access to toilets. Last week BAC supporters entered the WINZ offices and left a cardboard mockup of a long-drop toilet. The action was widely covered by the local and national TV news channels.

This week two police officers were stationed outside the welfare office. One policeman served the banning order on BAC's media spokesperson as he stood outside the office. The policewoman said the man's voice was too loud. The order was signed on behalf of the office manager David Rhodes and bans the man from entering the office unless on official business. No attempt was made to enter the building by the protesters and no other protester was banned.

WINZ southern regional public relations officer Miringa Sheehan apparently poked her head out the office door and made a comment about what goes around comes around. This childish remark aside, the WINZ management says it will no longer speak with BAC on the matter of access to toilets for beneficiaries waiting in its central Christchurch office.

The policeman told the protesters that he was going back to the station to read up on how long a protest could carry on for.

A poster has appeared around town comparing the racially-segragated toilets of 1970s South Africa with WINZ beneficiary-excluded toilets of 1999 New Zealand.

--
Poor Peoples Embassy
Christchurch, New Zealand
"Giving Voice to the Poor"

Ewen Coker's Poor People's Embassy sites on The Wayback Machine:

• embassy.org.nz
  
• hammer.prohosting.com/~penz/