West End Extra - Letters: Work shy

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 8 June 2007

We’re not work shy

• SO our Lord Mayor regrets not being served coffee by a Londoner. Well, does the coffee taste that much better served by such a person? I would think not necessarily, nor should it.
However, on a more serious point, his comments on the “work shy” warrant an answer.
Having in the past been one of the many thousands of people seeking work in this city, I can assure him it is not a pleasant experience.
I cannot recall any tangible help being offered by anybody – be it the Job Centre or any employment agency. In fact, I have found employment agencies a barrier to finding work. Unless one’s face fitted you are likely to face total ignorance from them.
Job Centres are really there to monitor those unfortunate enough to be forced to ‘sign on’ and woe betide you if you have not indeed made these efforts!
Regarding the taking-up of low paid unskilled work, this is problematic in some cases due to the high housing costs faced by many who find themselves caught in the ‘benefit trap’ – ie not being able to earn enough to get off benefits.
I WALKER
Dalgarno Gardens W10

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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