"GET A job!" shouted a construction worker from his scaffolding.
"That’s what we’re marching for," retorted Lindsey Baker leading the
demonstration called by her civil service PCS union branch in Sheffield
on Saturday.
Alistair Tice
100 trade unionists and community campaigners turned out to "Defend
Pensions, Jobs and Services." Banners and delegations from Department of
Work and Pensions (DWP) pickets (fighting 30,000 job losses!), Learning
and Skills Council (1,300 job cuts), health workers, the Fire Brigades
Union and Trades Council joined up with the Pensioners Action Group,
Welfare Action Network and We Want Our Buses Back campaigners.
The march through pedestrianised shopping streets had a big visual
impact, especially the ‘alternative bus’ which carried upside-down First
Bus logos representing ‘Last’ Bus!
Over a dozen unions and workplaces were represented showing the
breadth of attacks on working class people in the city. This march,
bringing together many activists, marks the beginning of a united
fight-back.
Socialist Party members played a key role in organising the demo and
were well represented on the march in the PCS, We Want Our Buses Back
and International Socialist Resistance contingents, with Socialist Party
councillor Dave Nellist the main speaker at the rally.
