GMB members from across the country will join thousands of other trade unionists and supporters in protesting against the government’s austerity programme and attacks on Trade Union rights at the Conservative party Conference in Manchester on Sunday.
The event will commence with a rally at All Saints Park where GMB Regional Secretary for the North West Paul McCarthy will address the crowd before they set off through the city centre on a route circling the conference centre and then heading towards Deansgate.
The demo and march, organised by the North West TUC, is expected to attract tens of thousands of people protesting about the government’s attacks on working people and the poorest and most vulnerable in society.
Looking ahead to Sunday Paul McCarthy said:
“The Conservative party will open their annual conference in Manchester against a backdrop of falling living standards, pay freezes, and huge cuts to public services - impacting on the old and most vulnerable leaving them unable to protect or support themselves adequately. We were told that austerity would be a short sharp shock to get the country back up on its feet, but in reality five years later we are facing more of the same in what is really a philosophical stance of a party that would rather cut taxes for the rich than protect and improve the NHS or terms and conditions of working people.
This is a government that is telling hardworking people, like midwives, teachers, council staff and other public sector workers, that they must work harder and for longer. Public servants’ pay frozen for 4 more years, threats to jobs in the public sector, plans to sell off social housing, cut tax credits, disability benefits and help with the rent as well as unfair targeting of young people and then claim to be the party of working people!
A party of working people that plans to undermine the role of trade unions in the workplace by attacking the fundamental human right of workers to take strike action, to picket and protest at their workplace and then to allow the employer to bring in agency workers to do their jobs for them if they don’t like the way they are being treated.
So we all need to speak out now. Please join us in Manchester on Sunday 4th October and tell the Conservatives loudly that workers need a voice and that we say “No!” to austerity and a resounding “Yes!” to workers’ rights”.
Programme for the day
12.00: Assemble Oxford Road from All Saints Park southwards
13.00: Opening rally
13.30: March through the city on a route that circles the Conference Centre, ending at Deansgate / Whitworth St for coach pick ups
Form up from 12 noon
The march will form up along Oxford Road from the main stage area at All Saints Park. Form up order will be confirmed in due course and this will be clearly marked along the route on the day.
Rally from 12:30pm
The rally commence with music from 12.30pm. Speakers will begin at 1pm. The first part of the rally will take place while the march is static and at 1.30pm the march will move off. Speeches and music will continue as the march progresses down Oxford Road and passes the stage, meaning that participants towards the back of the march also get a chance to hear contributions as they are moving off.
