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YMCA drops slave labour scheme for asylum seekers!

no one is a slave posting for http://www.asylumpolicy.info | 31.05.2005 16:38 | Anti-racism | Migration | Social Struggles | Birmingham | Liverpool


Some background:

Campaign Against Slave Labour
 http://noii.trick.ca/CampaignAgainstSlaveLabour

Asylum scheme labelled 'slavery'
 http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_objectid=15575227%26method=full%26siteid=50061%26headline=asylum%2dscheme%2dlabelled%2d%2dslavery%2d-name_page.html

YMCA stands for:
- A worldwide fellowship based on the equal value of all persons
- Respect and freedom for all, tolerance and understanding between people of different opinions
- Active concern for the needs of the community
- United effort by Christians of different traditions
 http://www.ymca.org.uk/bfora/systems/xmlviewer/default.asp?arg=DS_YMCA_ABOUTART_17/_page.xsl/10

YMCA press-gangs asylum seekers into slave labour
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/05/311838.html

Protest against the slave labour of failed asylum seekers
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/05/311852.html

City of Culture becomes City of Slavery with the help of the YMCA
 https://www4.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/05/311417.html

Campaign to Stop the YMCA turning Asylum-Seekers into Slave Labour
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/newszine58/ymca.htm

YMCA to run controversial asylum project
 http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/content/news_syndication/article_050321ymca.shtml

YMCA England Statement
 http://www.asylumpolicy.info/ymcastatement.doc

"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance" - Section 10 still exists and others expressed an interest in running the pilot...

Asylum And Immigration (Treatment Of Claimants, Etc) Act 2004: Linking Community Activities With Support Under Section 4
"The attached notice invites expressions of interest in providing programmes of community activities under the provisions contained in section 10 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act 2004.
10 December 1004
 http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/news/press_releases/asylum_and_immigration.html
 http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/laws___policy/community_activities.html

Joint Committee On Human Rights - Fourteenth Report
New Clause 10: Making "Hard Case Support" Conditional on Performance of Community Work
"... making the provision of accommodation to failed asylum seekers conditional on their performance of community work would be in breach of the prohibition of forced or compulsory labour in Article 4(2) ECHR. We draw this to the attention of each House."
 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200304/jtselect/jtrights/130/13004.htm#a2

House of Commons Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation
I am pleased to inform the Committee that YMCA England will arrange and co-ordinate community activities in the first phase. That is the first public announcement of our partnership with YMCA in England in this regard, and we are in the process of finalising a grant agreement.
 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmstand/deleg6/st050315/50315s01.htm

Damning migrant report delayed "deregulated, super-exploitation of migrant workers'
 http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1404647,00.html

Report: 'Forced Labour and Migration to the UK'
Online:
 http://www.exile.org.uk/forcedlabour.htm
Orginal Word doc: (68 pages)
 http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/ForcedLabour.doc

"Migrant workers in the UK, including those with the right to work here, are subject to such levels of exploitation and control that they meet the international legal definition of ‘forced labour’, according to a
report by independent researchers  http://www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-9316-f0.cfm

no one is a slave posting for http://www.asylumpolicy.info
- Homepage: http://www.asylumpolicy.info

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Victory against YMCA - But campaign against immigration slavery continues

01.06.2005 19:55

There can be victories in the struggle against immigration controls! But these can only come about through solidarity and collective action

The YMCA in Liverpool recently announced its willingness to participate in the immigration slavery scheme introduced by section 10 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 2004. Section 10 allows for housing and other support for certain refugees to be made conditional on undertaking “community services”. These are refugees whose claim has been rejected by the Home Office but are unable to return home because of circumstances beyond their control – because they are stateless or ill or (paradoxically in the case of a rejected asylum application) the country of return is too dangerous.

Section 10 transforms refugees into slaves. It makes their labour compulsory as refusal to participate will mean deprivation of housing and other support. No One Is Illegal began a campaign against the YMCA. This was supported and lead by groups in Liverpool. The YMCA has now backed down. Victories can be won!

The struggle continues!
However the struggle against immigration slave labour continues. The YMCA in other cities may decide to collude in the scheme. When the Act was being debated in the House of Lords, Lord Rooker encouraged voluntary sector groups to get involved. He also suggested that this compulsory refugee labour could be used for the maintenance of the refugee’s own accommodation – which is a way local authorities and private companies can get otherwise unlettable properties updated for free.

Why the scheme should be opposed
* It is in breach of section 4(2) of the European Convention of Human Rights –
(prohibition of forced labour)
* It is in breach of the 1930 Forced Labour Convention of the International Labour organisation to which the UK a signatory
* It offends all trade union principles – in particular the right to reject employment without suffering penalties. .

What you can do
* Ask your trade union branch to pass a resolution against section 10 and to notify the Home Secretary
* Be alert to any Home Office attempt to involve your or any other company of agency in the scheme
* Invite a speaker from No One Is Illegal to your trade union or any other relevant meeting.

Come to the No One is Illegal conference, June 25th, 12.30pm-6pm, Cross St Chapel, Cross St, Manchester, UK

NO-ONE IS ILLEGAL  http://www.noii.org.uk , email  info@noii.org.uk
16 Wood St Bolton, BL1 1DY

Copy of above as a Word document:

 http://www.asylumpolicy.info/thestrugglecontinues.doc

no one is a slave posting for http://www.asylumpolicy.info
- Homepage: http://www.asylumpolicy.info