EC Meeting March 2017

from claiming benefits in the first three months of living in the UK with the prospect of unemployed migrants being permanently denied housing benefits. These measures have been set up in what the government have described as targeting those who will attempt to exploit the benefits system. (3) This is yet another unjust measure taken against migrants in an attempt to scare people from coming to the UK and making us seem like an unwelcoming country. (4) In this highly charged atmosphere of racism and anti-immigration hysteria it is appalling that the government is deliberately misinforming the country regarding migrants. A YouGov survey from 2013 showed that most people thought that 500,000 immigrants were coming into the UK and claiming benefits. In reality, 60,000 come into the UK and, only 3% of those 60,000 claim benefits. This may explain an ICM poll that was conducted on 13 January 2014, showing that 54% of people admitted that they thought that EU migrants would have a negative effect on the economy, despite being told beforehand that citizens born in the UK draw more from the welfare state. (5) This Conference demands the Government stop pedalling misinformation when official statistics, academic reports and even an independent fiscal watchdog who is an advisor to the government, show that immigration would be beneficial to the UK. This is because most immigrants who arrive into the UK are of working age and will consequentially contribute to taxes; thus contributing to giving a well needed boost to Britain’s economy. (6) This Conference also calls on leading politicians of all parties not to whip up racial tensions by pandering to anti-immigration sentiment in the false hope of winning support from UKIP. Much of the cause of this fear is the direct result of the neo- liberal drive in this country to deregulate our labour markets by attacking trade unions and diminishing the role of collective bargaining. Employers now set the rate of pay and have been on a relentless drive to reduce wage rates to the bottom – and import low cost labour to fill the jobs local people cannot afford to take. 1. Campaign with and amongst our own affliates, the community and in the media to make the link between racism, fear of immigration and the deregulation of our labour markets; 2. Link with and support the campaigns by Hope Not Hate and Unite Against Fascism to explain and oppose the racism, xenophobia and far-right policies of UKIP, including their opposition to trade union organisation, beyond this year’s General Election; 3. Reinforces the call for collective bargaining to be accepted once more as the best means of regulating pay, distributing income and stopping the race to the bottom which is the real reason why employers are encouraging low cost labour to migrate to this country. (7) This Conference calls on the GFTU to:

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