The Socialist 3 March 2009

Bosses get pay-offs, workers get layoffs

RBS pension scandal: Not a penny for these fat cats!

Hands off our post!

Stop Labour's mail sell-off

Marx was right all along

Has globalisation gone into reverse?

Our democratic rights under attack by Labour

Anti-fees demo success - despite NUS leaders' obstructions

Cardiff student occupation: University divests from arms trade

Youth Fight for Jobs

The route

Construction workers plan more action

Message from strike leader

Stop bullying at BT

Fight the cuts in Nottingham!

Sogefi workers demand strike

NUJ action

Cover supervisors: Teaching on the cheap

National Shop Stewards Network: Brighton launch meeting

International Women's Day 8 March: Don't make women pay for the bosses' crisis

Make all women's issues trade union issues

Solidarity with Constantina Kuneva

Ireland: Scrap the 'pension levy': Organise a one-day general strike

Kashmir: Health workers win demands

Support The Socialist on May Day this year

Previous issues, etc

Print this issue




Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/569/7012

Google search the site	Printable version	email to friend

Home | The Socialist 3 March 2009 | Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe | Donate | Bookshop

Youth Fight for Jobs

Campaign updates

Birmingham

Members of the Socialist Party's Birmingham branch have taken on the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign with gusto in recent weeks. The branch was recently able to set up a youth team which, with the help of the rest of the branch, has focused on this crucial campaign.

We have been holding stalls on the issue at different times on Saturday and midweek in the city centre and in suburbs. These stalls have proven popular, with many people eager to find out more and get involved in the campaign.

We have handed out leaflets to young workers in shops and outside temping agencies and job centres. The consequences of the campaign have already borne fruit. A young worker who contacted us via the internet immediately took on an active role in Youth Fight for Jobs. Unfortunately he then had to move away from Birmingham after being made redundant himself.

We will be stepping up our campaigning over the next few weeks by holding activities, including stunts (the branch has just purchased a megaphone to aid this!) in areas where young people spend time. We are going to put up posters and hand out leaflets at the three universities in Birmingham and in schools and colleges.

We have been contacted by a local community radio station that wants to interview us about the campaign. We're in the process of contacting other local media. We will ask trade union branches for support, as well as setting up a Facebook page.

We have also gathered materials to design a banner to take on the Youth Fight for Jobs demonstration at the G20 on Thursday 2 April. But our top priority is to mobilise as many people from Birmingham as possible to fill the minibus we are taking to the protest.

Stephen Burrell

Bristol

Economic recession is beginning to affect job prospects in Bristol. A fightback to defend jobs and living conditions has begun, including the Youth Fight for Jobs (YFfJ) campaign. Everyone should have the right to a decent job. This is possible by sharing out the work without loss of pay and by investment in useful public works, like building council houses, as a start.

YFfJ in Bristol has elected a steering committee which plans to get the campaign into full swing before the 2 April march for jobs. We have been petitioning and selling The Socialist at least twice a week in the town centre and at local colleges and universities. We also plan to leaflet a local job centre.

We have written to a number of trade union branches and received a very positive response. Two campaigners spoke at an NUT branch meeting and the trade union branch agreed to sponsor the march and offered a speaker at our public meeting.

We intend to submit petitions to the council and write to the media. We have contacted local community groups and student unions.

Some of the people we meet want to come on the march and are very enthusiastic. We've set up an email list to keep in touch with them. However, for others the task of defending jobs seems too big. This will change as the fightback grows and people see it is possible and necessary. The stronger we build our campaign now the more effective we can be as the recession bites harder.

Tom Baldwin

Support for campaign grows

Both the national steering committee of Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement and Tommy Sheridan in a personal capacity agreed to support the march for jobs and the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign.