SOAS campaign in support of migrant cleaners
Dear friends: Many of you will be aware of the immigration raid which took place at SOAS University in London last Friday 12th June, in which nine contract cleaners were arrested by the UK Border Agency. Campaigners in support of the cleaners allege that they were targeted as a direct result of their union membership, and their previous involvement in a successful Living Wage Campaign for contract staff at the college. Five of the arrested cleaners have reportedly already been removed from the UK and two cleaners remain in immigration detention, awaiting removal.The campaigners say: “We see this raid as indicative of a current political climate, which sees not only corporatisation of universities but the extension of surveillance and border processing to its institutions, affecting both staff and students. This is a call for action, to form a national strategy uniting workers, staff, students and the wider community against racist immigration controls and erosion of workers rights.”
Read more about the campaign at SOAS on the BBC website:
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” title=”http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8103534.stm
” target=”_blank”>news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8103534.stm
What you can do
The Migrants’ Rights Network stands in solidarity with the SOAS UNISON campaign in support of these workers. If you’d like to act to show your support for the SOAS cleaners, then please join us in the following actions as soon as possible:
- Write to Alan Johnson, MP Secretary of State for the Home Office(see a sample letter on the campaign blog site - freesoascleaners.blogspot.com/).o Rt Honourable Alan Johnson, MP
Secretary of State for the Home Office, 3rd Floor, Peel Buildings, 2 Marsham St, London SW1 4DF
Fax: 020 8760 3132 Email:” title=”mailto:woolasp@parliament.uk
- Fax/email a copy of the letters to your own MP and ask that they pass them on urgently to Alan Johnson and/or Phil Woolas. You can get your MPs details from www.theyworkforyou.com or ring 020 7219 3000 and ask for their office. Your MP can ask a question about this or can lay down an early day motion.
- Ask your trade union branch/faith group/community association etc to also take action
- Please send a copy to SOAS UNISON of any faxes/letters/e-mails sent to Alan Johnson or to your union branch/faith group/community association, Fax: 020 7898 4039. or
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- Visit the MRN website (www.migrantsrights.org.uk) for:
- The regular MRN blog (migrantsrights.org.uk/blog/), including latest postings from Don Flynn and Ruth Grove-White on Irregular Migrants in the UK, the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill, and more…
- MRN’s ‘Papers Please’ report (www.migrantsrights.org.uk/downloads/policy_reports/papersplease.pdf) for further information and analysis about the impact of immigration policy on the employment rights of migrant workers in the UK
“>woolasp@parliament.uk
” target=”_blank”>freesoascleaners.blogspot.com/
Ruth Grove-White
Policy Officer
Migrants Rights Network
Tel: 020 7288 1267
Fax: 020 7354 5620