“THEY SAY cut back, we say fight back” was the chant that roared through the streets of Brighton on Saturday as over 600 working class trade union activists, socialists and campaigners brought the city’s streets to a standstill. Socialist Party members played a central role in organising the event.
Peter Knight, Brighton Socialist Party
The Brighton, Hove and District Trades Union Council-organised March for Jobs was one of the largest union-organised demonstrations in Brighton for many years. It will inspire others to join a growing fightback against mounting job losses and the monstrous attacks on public services.
The Save Our Nursery campaign led the demonstration. Last week the campaign, which has united parents and workers against plans to close an outstanding childcare service at the University of Brighton, forced management to consider a union proposal to keep the nursery open after a large vocal rally, boosted by Socialist Party members, was held outside the board of governors’ meeting.
GMB members from the Brighton bin depot joined the march to inspire fellow workers in struggle after their victorious battle against pay cuts last year.
JobCentre workers in the Public and Commercial Services union, marched side by side with unemployed campaigners.
Students and workers at the University of Sussex fighting education cuts were also prominent (see article below) on the march.
Bill North, general secretary of Brighton, Hove and District Trades Union Council said:
“What we’ve achieved today has been absolutely brilliant but if we leave it here we will have failed. This is the start of a campaign for jobs and services that can be built to defeat those who wish to make us pay for their crisis.”