Defy Section 9!
A working conference for trade unionists,
anti-deportation campaigners and anti-racists
Saturday 28 January 2006
Methodist Central Hall, Oldham St, Manchester
11a. m. - 5 p. m.
The Government aims to pressurise ‘failed asylum seekers’ to return to their country of origin through Section 9 of the 2004 Asylum and Immigration Act. It does this by withdrawing all state support and threatening to take children of asylum seekers into care. The Refugee Council reports that support has already been withdrawn from 17 families and a further 70 families are nearing the end of the process.

The British Association of Social Workers has described this measure as a ‘brutal’ and ‘wholly inappropriate’ practice. The Association of Directors of Social Services called it a matter of ‘grave concern’ and ‘really belonging to an earlier century’. It has been condemned by human rights organisations such as Liberty, and trades unions such as Unison and the National Union of Teachers. Manchester social workers have voted to refuse to implement Section 9 while 10 Greater Manchester councils have called for the measure to be reviewed.

Still further attacks on Asylum Seekers are planned. Section 10 of the same Act compels asylum seekers to work for their meagre benefits, for example if they have agreed to repatriation but the home country is too dangerous for the government to send them back to. There is a Bill, the sixth in 12 years, currently before Parliament that involves further attacks on benefits. The far-right fascists and racists take these measures as a green light to launch their own attacks on asylum seekers and immigrant communities generally.

From Plymouth to Glasgow local communities have come together to prevent families, who have lived here years and often have children at school, from being deported to dangerous countries with despotic governments. This conference is aimed at council and social workers, teachers, and trade unionists generally, along with anti-deportation activists and anti-racists, school students and anyone else who wants to build active resistance to Section 9 and other attacks on asylum seekers.

Plenaries and workshops on:

campaigning against section 9
local anti-deportation campaigns - how to win
defending civil liberties
racism/fascism - defence of asylum seekers
co-ordinating our campaigns.
We oppose all racism and refuse to betray the principles of the trade union movement - an attack on one is an attack on all. We will organise for a united fightback led by refugees and trade union action to oppose discrimination on the basis of race, nationality or immigration status.

Phone Jason Travis Bolton NUT for more information on 07976 476181 or George Binette, CDAS, on 07905 826304.

Sponsoring donations from TUs welcome to help pay conference expenses.

Conference registration: £5 waged £3 unwaged.

All cheques made out to ‘CDAS’ (marked ‘Manchester Conference’ on back)

Send to: Manchester Conference c/o CDAS, BCM Box 4289 London WC1N 3XX

Initially supported by: Sukula Family Must Stay Campaign, Altaf Family Defence Campaign, Committee To Defend Asylum Seekers, Unison United Left (North West region), British Association of Social Workers, National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns, Bolton National Union of Teachers, Bolton Trades Council, Liberty.