To mark ’World Day for Decent Work’ on the 7th of October, the Northern TUC are organising a seminar at the Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne. Internationally, the day will be marked by series of events focusing attention on the urgent need for a new globalisation.

At a local level, we will be focusing on the plight of the most vulnerable workers across the region and what we, as trade unionists, can do to tackle the issues of decent work. The seminar will include speeches from local politicians, trades unionists and members of the Regional Refugee Forum - as well as personal testimony from asylum seekers and a chance for discussion. There is also lunch provided and entertainment planned. This is a great opportunity for the trade unions to meet community activists from around the region and to plan future joint campaigns.

In particular, the event will feature the launch of the regional ’Let Them Work’ campaign. The TUC and the Refugee Council launched a joint campaign to restore the right to work for asylum seekers in April this year. For details, see the page of the Right to Work campaign.

Since then, the Northern TUC have been working with the Regional Refugee Forum (RRF) to campaign on the issue. To that end, a number of ’Right to Work’ subgroups of the RRF have been set up to lead the campaign and this event will see the launch of the campaign at a regional level and an appeal for vital trade union support.