Paul O’Connor of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) explains why it is fighting the government in court
Since 2021 PCS has been engaged in litigation against the Home Office on behalf of our members who deliver the UK’s asylum and immigration system and of vulnerable refugees whom the government seeks to demonise.
We prevented the government from implementing dangerous and unlawful “pushback” manoeuvres that would have cost lives.
Our judicial review proceedings over plans to deport refugees to Rwanda, a cruel and costly initiative, prevented the deportation of eight individual refugees.
Litigation protected our members from having to implement inhumane and illegal policies.
PCS, alongside Care4Calais, has developed a “Safe Passage Policy” for Channel crossings that would remove the need for dangerous crossings. Ministers’ refusal to adopt it shows they have no interest in stopping the crossings. They intend to make demonisation of refugees the background to the next general election.
The UK can afford to take care of its citizens and take its fair share of refugees. An ageing population and skills shortages mean that enabling refugees to become productive citizens in this country would help it prosper.
This must be reinforced by collective bargaining with unions in all sectors of the economy to ensure minimum standards for pay, terms and conditions. This would prevent the exploitation of workers, no matter where they are from.
