We, trade unionists from the Irish Labour Movement, express our solidarity and support for refugees and asylum seekers who have been subjected to inhumane attacks in recent weeks and months.

We reject the lies and disinformation which has been spread by those who seek to divide our communities and workplaces.

We understand that ordinary workers and members of our community are suffering right now, due to a housing, healthcare and a cost of living crisis. These multiple crises have been caused by political decisions made by Irish politicians and not by those fleeing war and persecution.

We recognise the familiar efforts to misdirect our anger towards our most vulnerable. This misdirection benefits our government who continue to implement their regressive policies while blame is apportioned to refugees and asylum seekers.

It wasn’t migrants who left 166,000 homes empty during a housing crisis.

It wasn’t refugees who forced almost one million people onto hospital waiting lists.

It wasn’t the profiteering of asylum seekers who increased our energy and grocery bills.

And it isn’t foreign workers who are driving down wages and conditions of employment; that occurs due to denial of our human right to collectively bargain with our employers.

Everyone has the right to seek asylum. Right now in our communities we have refugees who have fled persecution and even death for their race, religion, nationality, sexuality or their political opinion. Not only do we have a legal obligation to help these people, the fact that Ireland is partly responsible for the destabilisation of many nations through the use of Shannon airport by the US military, means we have a moral responsibility to help them.

In our retail, hospitality, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and other sectors, we work side by side with new and former refugees and asylum seekers. They are our neighbours. They are our friends. They are our families. They deserve to be treated with the dignity and respect that we expect for ourselves and our families, both here and overseas.

As trade unionists we recognise that our division weakens us and benefits others. We must work together to improve our collective living standards and that means welcoming our new brothers and sisters into our struggle for a more egalitarian Ireland.

We are calling on all trade unionists and trade union activists to mobilise for a national show of solidarity to refugees and asylum seekers on Saturday, 18^th February 2023 at the Garden of Remembrance.

Together we are stronger.

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