Towns and cities around the UK will see protests tomorrow (30th September) against Atos, the IT Company responsible for carrying out the con-dem government’s Work Capability Assessment. As part of a National Day of Action Against Atos, organised by disability, claimant and anti-cuts activists, people will be gathering outside Atos’ offices in Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Brighton, Chatham, Cheshire, Birmingham, Glasgow, Hasting, Norwich, Oxford, Bristol, Chester, Plymouth, Sheffield and York.
In London a demonstration is being held outside the BMJ Careers Fair where Atos will be exhibiting in an attempt to recruit doctors to work on their Disability Assessment teams. Thousands of people have been denied or stripped of vital benefit because of decisions made based on Atos’ assessment procedure which involves a short interview and a computer based test. Many people have had conditions worsened, either by being forced into the workplace, having much needed money withdrawn or the stress of the assessment process, which has been described as relentless. Sadly some have taken their own lives after hearing of Atos and the DWP’s decisions to remove their benefits. Even people with cancer and other terminal illnesses have been deemed ‘fit for work’. The government has pledged that this form of testing will be extended to all disability and health related benefits.
This week over one hundred groups and individuals signed a letter to the BMJ and the RCN urging them to stop allowing Atos to recruit at their events and in their publications: http://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/open-letter-on-atos-healthcare-to-the-bmj-and-rcn/
An online protest will see companies and organisations which do business with Atos contacted and informed of this company’s ‘callous and cruel’ treatment of disabled and sick people.
Supporters of Disabled People Against Cuts have said that “As long as ATOS continues to treat disabled claimants little better than animals they will continue to protest against them and seek means to discredit them.”
News & Comment
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Better This Out of Touch Millionaires Government than Destructive Welfare
Cuts amidst a Time of Economic Crisis
The Deficit is One of Quality of Life, Human Rights and Accountibility
Abolish Bureaucracy the Con Dem Regime and Shut Down the Westminster
Politicians Parliament
Constitutional Protection for the Poor and Vulnerable and Slave Market
Capitalism Go to Hell
I Might as Well Add Better this Out of Touch Millionaires Government
Out of Office
I Am Boiling with Rage at this Con Dem Regime and Those who have
Buried their Heads in the Sand
Quality of Life is a Basic Human Right Not Lottery Luck from the
Cowboy World of Capitalism
We Need Better in Office than the Abysmal Con Dem Regime
Complacency is a Friend of Tyranny and Oppression .
The Momentum to Get this Out of Touch Millionaires Regime of Oblivion
Oppression and Economic Slavery Out of Office to Reverse All Destructive
Public Spending Cuts and to Provide Constitutional Protection for the
Welfare of the Poor and Vulnerable Must be Maintained and Expanded
Despite the Docility of the Infamous Great British Public
Peaceful Action For Social Justice is Our Human Right and a Necessity
A UK Without In Justice and Oppression with Charity and Justice For
the Poor and Vulnerable Let Us Go Forward to a Better Reality without
the Expenses Scandal Discredited Parliament of Westminster
I imagine New Labour’s silence on all of this means that they will be the ConDem government mark 2 when this lot are kicked out.
The Expenses Scandal of the Westminster Parliament is the Real Benefit
Fraud
The Bigoted Tabloids may of Brainwashed People to have No Human Compassion
for their Fellow Human Benefits but that is the Point of Abolishing Capitalism to Get People Out of the Evil Trance of I’am All Right Jack
Mentality
Increase Benefits for the Poor and Vulnerable and Redistribute Wealth
from the Rich to the Poor
Ian, never forget it was actually New Labour who planned and set in motion these benefits cuts. It was New Labour who awarded the contract for the Work Capability Assessment to ATOS. No doubt quite a few of the buggers already have ATOS shares or are even on the board. Despicable and disgusting.