- Title: BRITAIN/MIGRANT-STRIKE Polish migrants divided over calls for British strike
- Date: 20th August 2015
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 20, 2015) (REUTERS) PEOPLE HOLDING SIGNS OUTSIDE OF PARLIAMENT SIGN READS (English and Polish): 'MIGRANTS OF ALL COUNTRIES MUST UNITE' PAN FROM SIGN TO POLISH WORKERS PROTESTING MEDIA FILMING PROTESTERS PROTESTERS TALKING PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES OF PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS AND MEDIA GATHERED OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT SIGN READS (English): 'NO TO RACISM. BLAME TORIES AND BOSSES NOT MIGRANTS' POLISH WORKER, JACEK SZYMANSKI, TALKING TO MEDIA OUTSIDE OF BIG BEN (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLISH WORKER, JACEK SZYMANSKI, SAYING: ''If all immigrants stopped working in this country for example, for one day, this country couldn't go on. That's the best tool to show people how much this country relies on immigrant's work.'' LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (AUGUST 19, 2015) (REUTERS) SIGN READS (English) 'BLOOD DONOR CENTRE' POLISH MIGRANT, KAROL ORENKIEWICZ, WALKING INTO DONATION CENTRE VARIOUS OF ORENKIEWICZ READING THROUGH BLOOD DONOR BOOKLET (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLISH MIGRANT, KAROL ORENKIEWICZ, SAYING: ''If there are some actions that can help, that can show Polish people in a good light, why not?'' VARIOUS OF ORENKIEWICZ SITTING WHILE NURSE INJECTS NEEDLE TO WITHDRAW BLOOD (SOUNDBITE) (English) POLISH MIGRANT, KAROL ORENKIEWICZ, SAYING: ''I think it's trying to set us with British society and making us a part of that society. We have stopped people thinking like we are immigrants, who are coming here only for work and to get benefits, but we are doing something good for the people.'' VARIOUS OF ORENKIEWICZ PUMPING CIRCULATION WITH HIS HAND (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR NHS BLOOD & TRANSPLANT, JON LATHAM, SAYING: ''We're amazed. It's always great when communities come together and try and do something great for the country as a whole. What we have done is to try and ask the Polish community to, if possible, make an appointment on Thursday.'' VARIOUS OF BLOOD BAG FILLING UP
- Embargoed: 4th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA4OGMZIKOA2T8ZSM3ISKK61HD8
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Polish migrants were expected to take industrial action on Thursday (August 20), in Britain's first ever migrant strike, but at a protest by the Houses of Parliament in London media outnumbered Polish expatriates taking action.
The calls for industrial action, which were first mooted on online forums and through a British Polish language newspaper, were designed to combat a rise in anti-migrant sentiment which Polish immigrants say had been rising in the British media and from politicians.
''If all immigrants stopped working in this country for example, for one day, this country couldn't go on. That's the best tool to show people how much this country relies on immigrant's work,'' said Jacek Szymanski, a 48-year old fork lift driver taking part in the industrial action, who moved to England ten years ago.
The campaign to strike has divided Polish immigrants, which many estimates suggest number more than 500,000 in the UK.
Another contrasting social media campaign with the hashtag Polish Blood, has developed as an alternative to holding a strike.
Through Facebook and Twitter, many leading groups in the Polish British community have urged migrants to donate blood at blood banks across the country on the week of the strike instead of downing tools.
Karol Orenkiewicz moved to the United Kingdom a year ago from northern Poland. He's one of hundreds of Polish migrants across Britain who has decided to donate blood.
''If there are some actions that can help, that can show Polish people in a good light, why not?'' he said.
Karol, like many other economic migrants from eastern Europe relocated to London after attending university in their home nation.
In England, he works as a chef for a leading restaurant chain.
He told Reuters that the Polish Blood campaign makes him feel more of a part of British society and he believes it will change other people's perceptions about migrants too.
''We have stopped people thinking like we are immigrants, who are coming here only for work and to get benefits, but we are doing something good for the people,'' he said.
Britain's National Health Service Give Blood campaign has been delighted with the Polish communities' efforts.
''We're amazed. It's always great when communities come together and try and do something great for the country as a whole, said Jon Latham, the assistant director for NHS blood and Transplant.
Blood donation centres across the country have been inundated with requests from Polish people wanting to donate on the day.
''What we have done is to try and ask the Polish community to, if possible, make an appointment on Thursday,'' Latham added. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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