Youth Fight for Jobs demonstration
Press Release for immediate use 26/11/2009
Young people from across the country to demonstrate for real jobs and free education
Youth Fight for Jobs brings together thousands of youth against economic crisis
Young people will be assembling at 12noon on Saturday 28 November in Malet St, Central London, WC1E for the national demonstration against youth unemployment. The demonstration has been called by the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign and is supported by three national trade unions, the RMT, PCS and CWU as well as several trade union branches and student unions. Young people and trade unionists are coming on coaches from across the country, including from Hull, Birmingham, and other areas hard hit by youth unemployment.
Sean Figg, national organiser for the campaign, said “This demonstration is going to make it clear that young people are not prepared to face a future of unemployment, job cuts and attacks on our public services. Youth unemployment stands at around 1 million, and disgracefully the government is cutting vocational education, and is thinking about raising university fees, further cutting out working class youth from a degree and potential jobs. That’s why we’re demonstrating on 28 November.”
Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said “The trade unions must ensure that the horror of mass unemployment among young people is at the heart of the political debate in the UK today. We cannot afford to see another generation thrown on the scrapheap. That mean we must demand genuinely free education and decent jobs and training on union rates of pay. Young people themselves have to be at the heart of campaigning around these issues and I hope that the demonstration is a significant step towards achieving this.”
Youth Fight for Jobs was launched in January 2009 to combat growing youth unemployment. It is backed by the PCS, RMT and CWU, and many students unions and trade union branches. It was launched by a march at the G20 with over 600 young people taking part.
