Let Them Work!
Wasted Skills, Wasted Lives: Let Them Work
The Refugee & Migrant Forum in Manchester is working with the TUC and the Refugee Council to take forward their national campaign to win back entitlement to work for people seeking sanctuary in the UK.
You can play your part. Consider supporting the campaign by:
- Inviting a Forum member to speak at your local union meeting.
- Tell other union contacts about the campaign
- Ask your general secretary to sign a pledge of support
- Write from your union to your local MP and ask them to publicly endorse the campaign.
Over 20 union general secretaries pledged support at the TUC Congress in Brighton including Unite, Unison, GMB, PCS and the Prison Officers' Association. Jon Cruddas MP and Unite leader Jack Dromey spoke out in favour of the campaign at a fringe event of the Labour Party conference in Manchester.
Local unions have pledged support after hearing testimony from Refugee & Migrant Forum members, who spoke of the waste of skills, loss of self confidence and difficulties they have suffered after living in the UK, often for many years, without the right to work and ability to support themselves.
Letting people work helps because it:
- Reduces the burden on the UK taxpayer.
- Benefits the UK economy.
- Encourages people to play a full part in their local community.
- Combats destitutions
- Re-skills refugees to offer them a better future.
Campaigning materials are available at: