The Socialist

The Socialist 28 March 2012

Tories stand for the 1%... We need a voice for the 99%!

The Socialist issue 711


Tories stand for the 1%... We need a voice for the 99%!

Budget for the 1% must be fought

Toasting the cuts - councils show no remorse

Wales: Does Plaid Cymru leadership vote show left turn?

Budget 2012: reject regional pay

World warming even faster than thought

Them and Us


Abortion - defend and extend the right to choose

Rare sighting of Tories in Scotland

Brighton Uni: Socialist Students five votes from victory


Programme for the May elections - For the millions, not the millionaires

London TUSC: Standing to say "there is an alternative"

Former Liverpool 47 councillor to give socialist challenge for mayor


National action needed to stop the pensions robbery

Tanker drivers vote to strike

Save the Remploy factories - not for sale or closure at any price

Workplace In Brief


French presidential election - An emerging left challenge

Spain: Workers gear up for general strike

Million Hoodies March against racist murders in the US


Review: We must look - the photographs of Don McCullin

 
 
 
Socialist Party logo Socialist Party on the climate change demo December 2007, pic Paul Mattsson Socialist Party News
Socialist Party Policy statements
Socialist Party contemporary Marxist analysis

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Rare sighting of Tories in Scotland

Jamie Cocozza, Youth Fight For Jobs Scotland

Protesters far outnumbered attendees at the Scottish Tory conference; considering there are more pandas in Scotland than Tory MPs, this shouldn't come as a surprise!

As the 24 March Scottish TUC demonstration passed the conference venue suited delegates - protected by a seven-foot-high fence and a police cordon came to meet us with mocking smiles and waves, serving only to make the Youth Fight for Jobs contingent even louder.

Youth Fight for Jobs responded to Scotland's first national demonstration against youth unemployment in a generation by launching a strong campaign across Scotland including daily street stalls, leafleting colleges and workplaces, and protests against workfare and the austerity budget.

Over the last few weeks young people flocked to stalls to sign up to the campaign, enraged by the prospect of joblessness and the freezing of the minimum wage for under-21s.

Youth Fight for Jobs made the 1,000-strong demonstration lively, bringing young people who had never demonstrated before into contact with the trade union movement. We marched alongside young members from the PCS trade union. Our vibrant contingent chanted "no ifs, no buts, no public sector cuts" and "we won't be a lost generation, fight for jobs and education".

Youth Fight for Jobs speakers explained why we were marching, the demands of the campaign, and why we are refusing to give in to the Con-Dem programme of austerity. People applauded and gave us the thumbs up.

Arriving at the official STUC rally on the promenade, young people, seeing our contingent in action, queued up to sign our petition and join the campaign. Unfortunately, despite our letter in advance to the STUC, we were not allowed to speak on the official platform.

We set up a fringe meeting where YFJ members spoke to assembled marchers on our demands of real job creation, scrapping workfare and the introduction of a living wage.

23 young people signed up for more information on the campaign, including school students from nearby Irvine. We now have YFJ groups in local areas with public meetings over the next few weeks and plan to organise a Scottish March for Jobs in the summer.


In this issue


Socialist Party news and analysis

Tories stand for the 1%... We need a voice for the 99%!

Budget for the 1% must be fought

Toasting the cuts - councils show no remorse

Wales: Does Plaid Cymru leadership vote show left turn?

Budget 2012: reject regional pay

World warming even faster than thought

Them and Us


Socialist Party reports and campaigns

Abortion - defend and extend the right to choose

Rare sighting of Tories in Scotland

Brighton Uni: Socialist Students five votes from victory


Socialist election campaigning

Programme for the May elections - For the millions, not the millionaires

London TUSC: Standing to say "there is an alternative"

Former Liverpool 47 councillor to give socialist challenge for mayor


Socialist Party workplace news

National action needed to stop the pensions robbery

Tanker drivers vote to strike

Save the Remploy factories - not for sale or closure at any price

Workplace In Brief


International socialist news and analysis

French presidential election - An emerging left challenge

Spain: Workers gear up for general strike

Million Hoodies March against racist murders in the US


Socialist Party review

Review: We must look - the photographs of Don McCullin


 

Home   |   The Socialist 28 March 2012   |   Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe   |   Donate   |   Bookshop

Related links:

Scotland:

triangleScotland: Council workers strike ballot

triangleCampaigning against the bedroom tax

triangleWhen mass action defeated Thatcher's poll tax

triangleScotland: Anti-bedroom tax federation launched

triangleScottish Anti-Bedroom Tax Federation launched

Tories:

triangleTories in turmoil over Europe

triangleLetter to the Tories who tell me to 'work hard and strive'

triangleTories and press use Philpott case to attack 'welfare culture'

triangleWill the Tories play the benefits card?

Jobs:

triangleNSSN conference: Unite to fight all the cuts

triangleMass joblessness wrecks lives! Youth must fight for a future

triangleAnother blow for workfare

Youth:

triangleRiots expose inequality in Sweden

triangleSocialist Party youth organisers meeting Sunday 30 June, 10.30am-4.30pm, London

Youth Fight for Jobs:

triangleSick of Your Boss gets going in London