Britain's largest trade union to stage a protest outside Labour conference next week over migration curbs... while rail workers also go on strike to pile pressure on Andy Burnham

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 10:25 EDT, 24 September 2026 | Updated: 10:27 EDT, 24 September 2026 Britain's largest trade union will stage a protest outside Labour's annual conference in Liverpool next week over the Government's proposed immigration curbs.Unison, which has more than 1.3million members, is set to hold a demonstration over plans by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to toughen UK visa rules.In a bid to reduce net migration, the Government wants to increase the amount of time immigrants have to wait to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).This would increase from five years to at least 10 years and, in many cases, even longer.But Ms Mahmood's plans have drawn criticism from Labour's Left-wing MPs and trade unions, including Unison, who want the Home Secretary to soften the changes.Unison represents care staff, NHS employees and lower paid public service workers who are all set to be impacted by the curbs.At next week's protest, which will form part of its 'Fair Visa Campaign', the union is set to accuse Labour ministers of breaking promises to migrant workers when they were recruited to work in the UK.It comes as rail workers on publicly-owned TransPennine Express are also set to strike during Labour's annual gathering in Liverpool. Unison is set to stage a protest outside Labour's conference in Liverpool next week as part of its 'Fair Visa Campaign'. Pictured: Migrant workers supported by Unison at a rally in June Labour PM Andy Burnham pictured out running in London's Green Park this morningUnison has warned that migrant workers could be forced to leave the UK because of the Government's proposed changes to visa rules.It has been campaigning for the increase in the settlement period for ILR to be dropped, with the union urging Ms Mahmood to rethink proposals it said would drive away international staff despite workforce shortages in key sectors.Unison's senior vice president Debbie Rowden told the TUC Congress in Brighton earlier this month: 'Instead of the five years to settlement that was originally promised, the Government now wants to keep them waiting for 15 years.'They specifically targeted Unison members working in health and social care, saying their work was 'low waged and low skilled'.'They said people who do this work didn't contribute enough to this country.'This isn't just an attack on migrant workers, but on all of us who do work that isn't valued as it should be.'TransPennine Express was nationalised in 2023 but many of its workers remain outsourced to private contractors despite Labour's pledge to bring about the 'biggest wave of insourcing of public services in a generation'.Around 200 workers are set to go on strike on Monday, with a flying picket of workers outside Labour's conference venue, the New Statesman reported.It forms part of an ongoing dispute between the RMT union and TransPennine Express over pay terms and conditions for catering and cleaning staff employed by outsourced companies.RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: 'Considering that we've got the Labour Party conference coming up, and no settlement in sight, we wanted to bring our members to call on the government to deliver on this promise for the largest wave of insourcing in a generation.'Andrew McClements, customer experience and transformation director at TransPennine Express, said: 'I apologise to our customers travelling on this date and ask that you bear with us. Where possible, please bring your own refreshments.'A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: 'Great British Railways (GBR) will sweep away decades of fragmentation, stopping unnecessary waste and create a railway that delivers for passengers, taxpayers and staff.'As more operators come into public ownership, we will continue working with industry to ensure everyone that keeps the network safe and clean is valued and respected.'They added: 'Once established, GBR will decide how work is resourced to make sure passengers, freight users and taxpayers get the best value for money.'