Put People First

The “Put People First! Jobs, Justice, Climate” demonstration in London on 28 March should be a major focus for every trade union activist. The march is backed by the TUC and most unions, including Unite, as well as major NGO's such as War on Want and Oxfam.

The Joint General Secretaries have issued a call to all officers and staff to build for the demo:

On 28th March thousands of people will march through London as part of a global campaign to challenge the G20 leaders to tackle the recession and the global financial crisis. Unite is participating in this demonstration, organised by the TUC, ahead of the G20 meeting in London on the 2nd April.

We are taking a lead in sending a message to the global leaders that there can be no going back to business as usual. We need Unite members and activists from around the country to come to London and show that our union will fight for a just, fair and sustainable world in order to get through the current recession.

The union has set out specific demands for the world leaders in the G20 around jobs, justice and climate. Details of our key priorities are below.

As a matter of urgency, please can you ensure that you circulate the details of the Unite involvement in this march as extensively as possible. It is vital that every sector and region of the union is well represented amongst the coalition on the 28th March.

Details on transport information and regional coordinators can be viewed on the campaign pages of the unite website – www.unitetheunion.com/g20demo

Unite has produced specific materials to help you to publicise this event. This can also be downloaded from the website.

Governments, business and international institutions have followed a model of financial deregulation that has encouraged short-term profits, instability and an economy fuelled by ever-increasing debt, both financial and environmental – Unite members need to make their voice heard on the 28th March and demand: “Put People First! March for jobs, justice and climate.”

Full details of the demonstration are available at www.putpeoplefirst.org.uk

The march can become a major focus for all the anger over the economic crisis and to be a place for workers facing job losses, privatisation, people angry over the bailout of the banks protecting the rich.

Because the demonstration is backed by every major trade union, it gives us the possibility to pull together every struggle, every fight for jobs, every campaign and target the anger that exists in a unified way against the real enemy...the bosses and their representatives at the G20.