BECTU supports Put People First!

BECTU is supporting the Put People First! march for jobs, justice and climate which will take place in London on 28 March.

BECTU’s banner will join the parade and union organisers look forward to being joined by many members to support our participation in the event.

The march, which is being organised by the TUC, non-governmental organisations, faith and environmental groups, is designed to send a clear message to politicians attending the G20 summit on 2 April that there must be “no going back to business as usual” as the world’s leaders meet to consider further responses to the global economic crisis.

The Put People First! march for jobs, justice and climate, will demand that the world’s leaders:

• Put People First: Decent jobs and public services for all
• Put People First: End global poverty and inequality
• Put People First: Build a green economy.

The march will assemble at the Embankment (Temple tube) from 11.00 hours on Saturday 28 March and will end in Hyde Park.

BECTU members will be all too aware of the need for the G20 to take action that benefits working people and not just the banks and shareholders.

With job losses affecting our industries  because of poor management and the slump in advertising at ITV, or because of local authority and arts council cuts to arts centres and theatres  we need to see positive action from the world’s leaders that makes governments puts people and jobs first.

Following the march and rally on 28 March, the Stop the War Coalition, CND, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and British Muslim Initiative have organised a march through central London at 1400 on the eve of the Summit, Wednesday 1 April. In addition, on Thursday 2 April there will be a protest outside the Excel Centre in London's Docklands from 1100 hours.

BECTU is also supporting these events in a further call to the G20 leaders - who will include Barack Obama on his first visit to London as US President - to say “Yes We Can” to ending the siege of Gaza, to bringing British troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and to the abolition of nuclear weapons.

Anna Murray is liasing with the TUC on BECTU’s behalf; for more details email Anna Murray at BECTU Head Office or telephone her on 020 7346 0900.