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Make every day a decent day for work says Northern TUC

Northern TUC yesterday launched its ‘Let them Work’ campaign, a drive that calls for asylum seekers to have their right to work reinstated. At an event marking international World Day for Decent Work held at Newcastle’s Centre for Life, the organisation collected signatures on a petition highlighting asylum seeker’s plight.

World Day for Decent Work is an international event organised by the International Trade Union Confederation with the purpose of focusing attention on ensuring all workers are treated with dignity and respect. Since having their right to work revoked in 2002, asylum seekers are now an even more vulnerable group.

The Northern TUC has been working with the Regional Refugee Forum (RRF) since April to campaign on the issue, which has given rise to ‘Let them Work’. Attendees at yesterday’s event heard of the devastating effect the employment restrictions have on asylum seekers and their families. Kevin Rowan, Northern TUC Regional Secretary said: “Decent, good quality work is a secure route to health and wellbeing. Sadly, an increasing number of workers are experiencing the polar opposite.”

“Asylum seekers are particularly vulnerable as the most unscrupulous employers take advantage of the fact that these workers have no legal right to work and therefore no legal protection from exploitation - they are often accused of ‘living it up’ while the reality is one of horrendous treatment, poverty pay and constant fear.”

“Allowing them to work legally will provide the first step to dignity and respect.”

Samouka Dore, Leader of the Regional Refugee Forum North East Right to Work Subgroup said: “We are given great hope by the TUC’s initiative and the potential of the unions and the community to support this national campaign to restore the right to work, which will directly affect more than 10,000 of us in the region alone.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .