Thousands of trade unionists, community activists and members of general public will join the march.
STUC General Secretary, Grahame Smith said:
“Given that we called this event as a launch rather than an end point for our campaign, we are both surprised and delighted by the response we are receiving - not just from our members but from wider Scottish society.
“The intensity of the response will only increase when the implications of the Comprehensive Spending Review sink in over the next two days.
“You only have to look at the list of organisations attending and sending supportive messages to understand the depth of anger and growing level of support for the campaign.”
Notes:
On 23rd STUC will announce a range of future protest activities as well as committing to joint campaigning work with Scotland’s key civic and community organisations.
March details:
Arrangements
The march musters 11.00am at East Market Street Edinburgh at the south side of Waverly Station.
The march will set off at 11.30am. It will travel a route along Princes Street. At approximately 12.30am the march will assemble at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Gardens. The rally will begin at some stage between 12.30 and 1pm depending on the size of the march.
Speeches
There are five speakers at the rally who will speak in the following order
Joy Dunn (STUC President and PCS union - who will speak and then chair proceedings)
Jack O’Connor (President Irish Congress of Trade Unions and SIPTU)*
Rev Ian Galloway (Church of Scotland)
Elinor McKenzie (Scottish Pensioners Forum)
Grahame Smith (STUC General Secretary)
*Mike Kirby STUC Vice President and Convener of UNISON Scotland will speak at an ICTU Northern Ireland ‘Rally Against the Cuts’ in Belfast on the same day.
In addition, the rally will feature a film of supportive video clips and supportive comments will be read out from organisations including;
Faith in the Community Scotland
National Union of Students Scotland
Child Poverty Action Group
Church Action on Poverty
Engender
Govan Law Centre
Searchlight
RNID
IONA Community
Scottish Pensioner
OXFAM Scotland
Scottish Women’s Budget Group
Scottish Poverty Alliance
Scottish Campaign on Welfare Reform
STUC Black Workers Conference
STUC Disabled Workers Conference
STUC Youth Conference Scottish CND
Scottish Refugee Council
Stop the War
As well as all of Scotland’s major trade unions
ENDS
