Ealing Southall MP Pays Tribute to Jayaben Desai

Campaigner has died at the age of 77

Virendra Sharma, MP for Ealing Southall has paid a fulsome tribute to Trade Union campaigner Jayaben Desai who has died after a short illness age 77.  

Ms Desai led the Grunwick industrial dispute in the 1970s and fought all her life for migrant women workers rights in the UK. The strike at Grunwick over trade union recognition went on for two years and the Asian women led by Jayaben Desai gained national attention as the ‘strikers in saris.’

Virendra Sharma knew and admired Jayaben Desai for many years.

Commenting on her life Virendra Sharma said: “Jayaben Desai was a tireless campaigner, a role model to all working people especially for Asian women. She was a person with vision and showed incredible determination and courage fighting for migrant women workers’ rights. I am honoured to have known her.”

29th December 2010