The association TSP, created to support the working rights of undocumented immigrants, has organized a protest today in front of the offices of Actiris in Brussels, around midday.
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Today, the 24th September, around midday, a group of people was protesting in front of the offices of Actiris in Brussels, close to the metro stop of Madou, at avenue de l’Astronomie. One of our employees, who was in the neighbourhood at the same time, had the opportunity of taking some pictures, as can be seen below:
A police officer was keeping an eye on the group of protesters from afar, while these ones were singing “On veut travailler, on est qualifiés” [We want to work, we are qualified], while holding signs on which they had written a series of jobs, each time accompanied of “prêt à travailler” [ready to work]. On the picture, it is possible to see “boucher” [butcher], “électricien” [electrician] and “plombier” [plumber], with the rest being too blurry to read.
We initially wondered whether these people were part of the “Gilets Jaunes”, taking in account that they were all wearing yellow vests, although we remembered that the “Yellow vests” only protest during the weekend. In this case, the group of people form part of an association/collective, the “Collectif TSP”, which stands for “Collectif des Travailleurs Sans Papiers” [Association of the Undocumented Workers], as some might have guessed. According to the information found on their Facebook page, the group was protesting today in front of Actiris to symbolically sign-up to the formations for jobs in skill shortage. Still according to the information available on their Facebook page, today’s event took place between 11 and 12 o’clock.
According to the information mentioned by the association and our research, it would seem that Actiris has accepted forming people in an irregular situation for jobs in skill shortage in Belgium, but in order to do this, the immigrants’ situation must first be regulated, which both Theo Francken and Maggie de Block were refusing to do some months ago. According to these two politicians, regularising the situation of these illegals by giving them an opportunity to sign-up to a formation, and thus have a job, would allow them to obtain a residence permit, which, still according to Francken, would open the doors of Belgium to all illegal immigrants located in Europe, and those waiting for a chance to come from outside, such as from Morocco [country mentioned by Francken].
The association TSP is preparing other protests to pressure key politicians and obtain the changes wanted. For instance, they will protest the 1st of October at 11 o’clock in front of the office of Bernard Clerfayt, minister of Employment and Professional Education, Digitisation, Local Authorities and Animal Welfare, and the 8th of October, at 11 o’clock again, in front of the office of Maggie de Block, minister of Social Affairs and Public Health, and Asylum Policy and Migration.
For those interested in consulting the activities of the Collectif TSP, here’s their Facebook page.
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