Protest at West Ealing Job Centre Over Benefit Sanctions
Union members say the film 'I, Daniel Blake' is damning indictment of system
Union members dressed as the central character from an award winning film have protested about benefit sanctions outside job centres throughout London - including West Ealing.
Holding ‘We are all Daniel Blake’ placards and dressed as the film’s protagonist, protesters are urging everyone to go and see Ken Loach’s new award winning film 'I, Daniel Blake' to build public support for a fairer social security system for people in and out of work.
Unite Community has been campaigning to stop benefit sanctions and the union is calling on MPs and local councillors up and down the country to see the film to gain a true depiction of their impact.
Raj Gill, Unite Community branch secretary said: “I, Daniel Blake is a damning indictment of food bank Britain. It’s powerful because it’s true. People need support to find work that pays, not starved for turning up 10 minutes late to an appointment or demonised for being unemployed.
“Many of our members have first-hand experience of our nightmarish benefits system. They, like Daniel Blake, know the suffering and hardship caused to disabled people, unemployed and the low waged in this country.
“MPs and local councillors need to speak out. They need to bring humanity back into a broken system, because with 16 million working aged adults in this country having no savings at all, what happens to Daniel could happen to anyone. It's becoming less about them and more about us, we are all Daniel Blake.
“We are urging the government to reverse the cuts to Universal Credit and stop benefit sanctions.”
Unite community membership brings together people from across society, allowing those not in work to be part of the union family to campaign on the issues that matter to them.
6th December 2016