6 November 2025
RMT Press Office:
RMT is taking its campaign to protect transport workers from losing their UK visa status directly to the Prime Minister on Friday.
General Secretary Eddie Dempsey will be joined by a group of members employed at Transport for London (TfL) who, under recent changes to the Skilled Worker visa rules, are being told they must leave the UK, despite holding permanent contracts of employment and working in key frontline roles.
The union is demanding urgent transitional protections for all affected staff and will be joined at Downing Street by MPs supporting the campaign. The Mayor of London has also called on the government to think again.
Earlier this week, RMT met with the Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp MP.
At that meeting, the union highlighted the unfair impact of the policy on workers who were employed permanently and had a clear and reasonable expectation that they would be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship.
The Minister accepted that the union had “fair concerns” and agreed to consider the position of permanently employed staff.
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “These are trusted, hardworking transport workers who were recruited into permanent jobs in good faith.
"They have been supporting passengers, keeping them safe and assisting in keeping services running.
"Now they are being told they have to leave the country through no fault of their own.
“We welcome the Minister’s recognition that our concerns are justified.
"But warm words are do not go far enough.
"The government has the powers to act and it must do so now.
“We are calling on the Prime Minister to step in, put protections in place, and stop this clear injustice.”
RMT has made clear it is ready to work with the government to urgently implement transitional arrangements that allow the affected workers to stay in their roles at TfL.
END
The photo opportunity outside 10 Downing Street will take place at 2pm Friday 7 November.
Want to receive updates from us? Subscribe to a mailing list
Tagged with: RMT, Eddie Dempsey, Skilled Worker Visas
Related News
- Rail unions warn BTP funding crisis is putting staff and passengers at risk
- RMT condemns Bilfinger job cuts and demands action against zero-hours exploitation
- RMT warns of surge in violence against rail workers while BTP presence cut
- £1.8 billion extracted by private business since 2016, RMT report reveals
- RMT members at Svitzer Terminals vote for strike action over sick pay
Latest News
- Rail unions warn BTP funding crisis is putting staff and passengers at risk
- RMT condemns Bilfinger job cuts and demands action against zero-hours exploitation
- RMT warns of surge in violence against rail workers while BTP presence cut
- £1.8 billion extracted by private business since 2016, RMT report reveals
- RMT members at Svitzer Terminals vote for strike action over sick pay
Unity House
Tel: 020 7387 4771
Email: