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RMT has organised rallies
outside Parliament and
delivered a letter of protest to
Downing Street to urge the
government to pause its
skilled worker visa changes.
The RMT actions have been
in defence of hundreds of rail
and tube workers now facing
the threat of losing their right
to work in Britain.
The government took an
arbitrary decision this year to
remove key frontline roles
from the visa list including
station assistants, without
consultation, and with no
regard for the workers
affected.
Backed by PCS President
Martin Cavanagh and MPs Bell
Ribeiro-Addy, Apsana Begum
John McDonnell and Diane
Abbott, one protest heard
from RMT general secretary
Eddie Dempsey, who
condemned the move as “an
attack on loyal workers doing
vital jobs on our railway.
“Our members joined this
industry in good faith; on the
understanding they could
build a life and a career here.
“The government has
ripped that up without
notice,” he said.
He praised Mayor of
London Sadiq Khan for his
stance after the union
successfully campaigned for
his office to write to the
government urging a pause.
"I want to congratulate the
stance he has taken on this.
“He's shown some
leadership by standing up for
Londoners who are keeping
this city moving.
"Our members were given
permanent contracts of
employment and were told
you will be remaining in
Britain, have built lives here,
started families, from the
November 7, will begin to
receive letters telling them
they have to leave the
country.
"That is an absolute
disgrace.
"I do not care where
people have come from, the
only thing that means
something to me is that they
have an RMT badge on their
chest.
"They are one of ours and
we fight for our people," he
said.
RMT is demanding and
continuing to campaign for an
immediate pause to the visa
changes, full protection for
staff already in post and
meaningful consultation with
unions and the transport
industry.
“These reforms were
rushed through with zero
consultation and virtually no
parliamentary scrutiny,” added
Mr Dempsey.
“It’s a complete failure of
governance and basic
decency. These are not just
numbers on a spreadsheet,
they are real people doing
essential work,” he said.
The union has held a
number of demonstrations and
has not ruled out further
protests to pile pressure on
ministers to change
track. Members affected by
the visa changes have also
begun to speak out.
One testimony by an at-risk
RMT member read: "I do not
want charity. I just want a fair
chance to work, live and stay
here, helping to keep our
great capital moving because
at heart, I am a Londoner just
like everyone else.
“But now that could all be
ripped away from my family
and I,” he wrote.
RMT TAKES FIGHT TO WESTMINSTER
OVER VISA RULE CHANGES
Union fighting removal of key frontline roles including
RMT members from visa list
PROTEST: RMT delivered a letter of protest to
number 10 Downing Street
PROTEST: Eddie Dempsey speaking at a
rally outside Parliament