Union salutes worker who overturned racist recruitment at Euston station

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Union salutes worker who overturned racist recruitment at Euston station

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RMT salutes worker who overturned racist recruitment at Euston station
Union leaders have praised the “brave actions” of a railway worker who overturned a racist recruitment policy in the 1960s.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) marked the 54th anniversary of the breaking of the colour bar at London’s Euston station by pledging to continue its campaign against racism.

On 15 August 1966, the colour bar at Euston station was defeated when Asquith Xavier was allowed to start work after initially being refused a job...

Xavier, who died in 1980, was part of the Windrush generation, moving to England from Dominica after the second world war.

He worked for British Railways in 1956 as a porter, working his way up to rail guard at Marylebone station in London. After the closure of the Marylebone main line as part of the Beeching rail cuts, guards were no longer required and were being transferred to stations such as Euston. Xavier, an experienced guard, received a letter from management telling him that he had been rejected for a job at Euston.

Black workers had been barred from taking jobs as guards and porters at Euston station while Irish workers at Paddington were restricted to labouring roles in the goods yard and similar restrictions applied at other stations...
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