On June 11th, 2023, PAWA seized an opportunity to participate in a Parliamentary discussion on addressing the UK’s crisis of care. The journey to the event was made possible through the funding and support of both the IWW and Notes from Below.

During the meeting, the focus surprisingly shifted away from labor-related issues in the social care sector, but this changed when PAWA’s Co-Chair, cde Barbra Tanyanyiwa, took the floor. Barbra passionately highlighted the challenges faced by immigrant social care workers, particularly those coming from Africa. She pointed out that these workers were effectively subsidising care companies by using their own cars for domiciliary care. Additionally, she shed light on the deplorable living conditions experienced by many workers under the Health and Care Worker Visa scheme. Barbra also raised concerns about care bosses who were taking advantage of selling visas instead of providing actual care, leading to many African workers arriving in the UK only to find themselves without employment.

Barbra’s intervention shed light on these critical issues and brought much-needed attention to the struggles faced by immigrant care workers. She also spoke about PAWA’s role in encouraging African workers in the UK to join and actively participate in trade unions.

Following the meeting, PAWA’s comrades had the opportunity to interact with numerous individuals who expressed interest in supporting and building the PAWA initiative. Contact details were shared, fostering connections and potential collaborations for future endeavors.

Overall, PAWA’s participation in the Parliamentary discussion proved to be impactful, as it brought labor-related issues in the social care sector to the forefront of the conversation. The willingness of others to support and engage with the PAWA initiative demonstrates the importance and relevance of its work in advocating for the rights and welfare of workers, particularly those from Africa.