A day of action, February 20, was called by campaign group War on Want, the Bakers Union and the RMT transport union under the banner "One Day Without Us" promoting the theme "migrant workers are welcome here."
The referendum, June 23, 2016, on the UK's membership of the European Union was dominated by the issue of immigration, with calls for Britain to be able to control the influx of migrant workers from Europe. However, War on Want points out that migrant workers play an essential role in the provision of healthcare services, transport and hospitality.
Earlier we joined fast food workers to demand better pay &conditions for all #StandWithMigrantWorkers #1DayWithoutUs https://t.co/3He3naqwqD pic.twitter.com/zwRjdnzES8
— War on Want (@WarOnWant) 20 February 2017
"We're taking part in 'One Day Without Us', which is a day of action that has been called across the UK to celebrate the contribution of migrants to the UK and to stand up to the rights of migrants and to reject the politics of hate and division," War on Want's labor rights campaigner, Owen Espley, told Sputnik.
Defend migrants, #stopTrump nationwide day of action outside the UK Parliament in #London https://t.co/PvAM9UUhoW pic.twitter.com/tJ6BqZswCh
— Sputnik UK (@SputnikNewsUK) February 20, 2017
"The referendum campaign and the aftermath has involved scapegoating of migrants and blaming migrants for society's ills. We think this is wrong. [US President Donald] Trump represents, for many people, the politics of division and politics of hate and that's why people are concerned about what's happening in the UK: the rise of racism and xenophobic violence after the Brexit referendum."
"Migrant workers are massively undervalued in our society. They make up a massive contribution to our public services — such as the National Health Service — to our social care and they also contribute across the whole of our society: the construction industry, hospitality, fast food."
That you don't see us doesn't mean our work doesn't exist #1DayWithoutUs We clean, cook and care for UK families 24 hours a day pic.twitter.com/9igAzsiY30
— Justice4DomWorkers (@J4DWUK) 20 February 2017
"Today is about people coming together to say that politicians' use of division has to end. The British public want a society where we are united with migrant workers and we're united to defend good quality public services, the right to secure safe housing and the right of every worker to enjoy a decent standard of living and the right to join a trade union," Espley told Sputnik.
