The STUC has cancelled the St Andrew's Day anti-racism march in Glasgow today due to the tragic helicopter crash. The march would have passed close to the scene. A statement from the STUC says: "As a mark of respect to all those affected by the tragedy at the
Clutha Vaults last night and in view of the pressure which has been placed on the resources of Scottish emergency services, STUC has decided to cancel its annual St Andrew's Day anti-racism march. The march which had been due to leave from Glasgow Green at 11am will now NOT take place, but participants are invited to attend a short rally at the Glasgow Film Theatre at 12 noon as planned".
Our thoughts are with those affected and the public service staff working tirelessly to deal with the incident.
http://www.stuc.org.uk/campaigns-and-external-events/st-andrews-day
#Oct20 The Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) is mobilising for a mass anti-austerity demonstration in Glasgow on 20 October coinciding with the London demonstration. The STUC will be applying for George Square to be part of the October 20th event but is awaiting approval from Glasgow City Council which is reviewing use of the Square for public demonstrations.
#oct20 The TUC website ‘A future that works’ has been updated with promotional artwork and arrangements for the national demonstration on 20 October. As on 26 March last year, the march will assemble along Victoria Embankment on the Thames from 11AM moving off around noon.
http://afuturethatworks.org/
Last night a packed Central Hall in Westminster demanded that the Con Dem Government drop their pernicious NHS and Social Care Bill. Trade Union leaders, health workers, patients, politicians, celebrities and doctors queued up to give an unequivocal message, that this Bill will destroy the NHS and we may have less than two weeks to save it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/mar/07/save-nhs-rally-health-bill
Today thousands of health workers will descend on Central Hall in Westminster for a rally mobilising opposition to the Con Dem NHS & Social Care Bill which the TUC says is 'the biggest threat the NHS has ever seen.' The rally starts at 6PM and speakers include UNISON NEC member Mary Locke and General Secretary Dave Prentis:
http://www.tuc.org.uk/
social/tuc-20723-f0.cfm
The Northern Public Services Alliance have organised a 'Rally for the Alternative' at The Lib Dems' Spring Conference at the Sage, Gateshead on Saturday 10 March. Assemble 11-11.30 Wesley Square, Newcastle Quayside with a rally at 12.30 at Baltic Square Gateshead.
'This is a prime opportunity to show them the strength of feeling that cuts are definitely not the cure – especially in the region with the highest unemployment in the country', says the leaflet publicising the rally (
click here for a pdf copy). The Northern Public Services Alliance is led by trade unions including UNISON and the Northern TUC.
In opening this weekend’s 'Rally for the Alternative' Clare Williams said we meet at a time of global economic, social and political crisis which makes the Northern TUC Forum for an Alternative to Austerity well timed. There is a crisis across the Eurozone, where the policies of neo-liberalism are being seen to fail. The response of Government's to impose ever more oppressive austerity measures on ordinary working people is one which must be challenged.
Today is World Day for Decent Work and is being marked by a great initiative by UNISON members at London South Bank University who are calling on the Vice-Chancellor to pay them the living wage by holding a protest rally. More than a hundred cleaners, who are employed by Interserve get paid £6.08 an hour, and do not receive sick pay. The current London living wage is £8.30 an hour.
http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2472
http://www.wddw.org/-English-
A large UNISON contiingent was at the forefront of yesterday's 35,000 strong TUC organised March for the Alternative at the Tory Party conference in Manchester. UNISON Deputy Regional Convenor Rena Wood addressing the rally condemned Con Dem attacks on pensions which were 'paving the way for privatisation of public services' and called for a Yes vote in the ballot for strike action planned for 30 November:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/oct/02/protesters-manchester-conservative-conference
Tony Benn told 15,000 'People First' marchers in Glasgow today that 'we will win' in the fight against cuts. UNISON Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby, this year's STUC President, praised the trade unions, community groups, faith groups and wider public who had braved the torrential rain to get their message across. "You are the real big Society", he told them. UNISON members turned out in their thousands, supported by Eleanor Smith, UNISON President.
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/1oct.html
Speaking at the North East Pensions Rally on yesterday in Aberdeen, UNISON Scottish Secretary, Mike Kirby said that pension scheme members face a "double, double whammy."
