Civil disobedience day

Civil disobedience day to mark state opening of parliament

Protesters from the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign plan protests around the country on Wednesday 27th May, the day of the state opening of the new parliament.

  • The London protest assembles at 4.30pm opposite Downing Street.
  • The Leeds protest will be in Victoria Gardens outside Leeds Art Gallery at 5pm

The Youth Fight for Jobs campaign is planning these and other mobilisations across the country as part of a day of action marking the state opening of parliament. The protests, called under the slogan ‘no to five more years of austerity’, are demanding an end to cut-backs.

Helen Pattison, Youth Fight for Jobs spokesperson said:

“The Tories think the election has given them licence to unleash five more years of savage austerity. Young and working class people face an onslaught.
Already struggling with zero-hour contracts and poverty pay, we now face the chilling prospect of compulsory workfare for all unemployed 18-21 year olds, a deepening housing crisis and further attacks on education and youth services.
In reality the Tories have no mandate for this savagery. Less than one in four eligible voters supported the Conservatives on 7 May.
This protest will be sending a signal to Cameron and his friends. Their attempts to smash our future will be met with fierce resistance on the streets, in the workplaces and on our campuses.”

Youth Fight for Jobs is raising the following five demands:
1. End austerity – no to five more years of cuts to jobs, education and public services
2. Stop welfare cuts – no compulsory workfare for 18-21 year olds, defend housing benefit
3. Fight poverty pay – raise the minimum wage to £10 an hour now, scrap zero-hour contracts
4. Defend education – no to cuts and tuition fees
5. Democratic rights – stop attacks on the right to protest and civil liberties. For votes at 16.

Helen Pattison is available for interview. Call 07540 189 052. The contact number for the day of the protests is 07757 207 289.

Youth Fight for Jobs was launched in 2009 in response to rising levels of youth unemployment. In 2011 it organised the 330 mile Jarrow March for Jobs, supported by Unite, PCS, RMT, CWU, UCU, FBU, BECTU and TSSA trade unions. It works with the Bakers, Food, & Allied Workers’ Union (BFAWU) in the Fast Food Rights campaign aiming to organise currently unorganised workers into the trade union movement.

www.youthfightforjobs.com

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Youth-Fight-for-Jobs/293131194070357

www.twitter.com/youthfight4jobs