June 2020
Comrades, Friends,
This Bill Repeals the EU Freedom of Movement and introduces the new framework, though not the exact details, of who can come to live in the UK.
The Government’s proposals are unfair, unjust and hypocritical. The classification of workers who earn less than £25,600 as low skilled and not welcome in this country is a grave mistake and not in the national interest. Covid-19 has just shown that they are highly skilled and essential workers for the country.
The government encourages us to Clap for care workers on a Thursday evening then by Monday say that the same care workers are actually unskilled and not welcome in this country?
We cannot support an immigration Bill that is a threat to our health as well as a threat to our social care sector. The Bill will enable the government to introduce a new points-based system, which is likely to discourage care workers from coming to the UK. We strongly ask the Government to think again.
The new points system will award points for specific requirements such as being able to speak English to a certain level, having a job offer from an approved employer and meeting a salary threshold of £25,600. In March, a visa allowing doctors, nurses and health professionals from overseas to work in the NHS was introduced.
Ahead of the bill’s second reading, Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “Our new points-based system is firmer, fairer, and simpler” She went on to say that that this Bill would deliver a ‘high skilled” economy. Covid-19 has shown that the UK NHS workforce cannot fulfil the tasks required by our NHS without care workers from outside the country.
130 care workers have died caring for us all. They have demonstrated professional skills and moral values of patience, empathy, love and kindness. It takes someone truly remarkable to have these qualities and to serve under such a pandemic crisis. They have undertaken jobs outside of their job remits, such as certifying deaths, doing tasks that only a District Nurse would do. They even accepted less PPE as it was unavailable, but still risked their lives by using what was available to carry on and care for patients. This bill is not the right way for the government to show them the respect they deserve.
In the future, many Care Workers, under this Bill will not be able to come to work in the care sector, in the UK. Not only because they are defined as “low skilled” but also because they will not meet the minimum salary threshold requirement of £26,000, as set out in the Bill. A minimum salary threshold of £25,600 for Workers wishing to enter the UK. No exemptions for low skilled workers, which includes carers, but seasonal workers are exempt?
The carers were amongst the list of the critical care workers, during the pandemic. The government has now received huge opposition from the Director of the Charity age UK as well as MPs across the Parties.
THE GOVERNMENT MUST RETHINK IN CLASSIFYING CARE WORKERS AS LOW SKILLED, WHEN THEY HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE TO PLAY, IN KEEPING VULNERABLE PEOPLE SAFE!
Please support this petition by signing it ASAP
Yours in Comradeship
May Shafi
Vice Chair
Cambridge & District Trades Council (CDTC)
PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO DOWNLOAD AND CIRCULATE THE PETITION
Petition Opposing The Immigration and Social Security Co-Ordination Bill