Jarrow jobs march gains momentum

Support from trade unions for the Jarrow march for jobs (initiated by campaign group Youth Fight for Jobs) has taken off. Thanks to donations from trade unions and activists, including a fantastic £1,000 from the Fire Brigades Union and a £1,000 personal donation from FBU general secretary Matt Wrack, and £500 from a Unite branch, we have broken through the £3,000 mark on the ‘Jarrow-ometer’.

Paul Callanan, Youth Fight for Jobs national organiser

At a meeting in Walthamstow, east London, RMT transport union president Alex Gordon announced that his union’s executive committee has backed the march unanimously. The RMT also wants to send people on the march. The Waltham Forest anti-cuts union plans to sponsor a marcher for £500. 20 MPs now back the Early Day motion in support of the march.

Youth unemployment currently stands at about of one in five. Young people today are the first in generations who face lower living standards than their parents.

With huge attacks on education and public sector jobs being made by the Con-Dem government, young people need to link up with workers in the trade unions to build the biggest movement this country has ever seen.

This October, young people will be out on the streets to say; we won’t be a lost generation! We will fight for jobs and education!

The Jarrow march for jobs will be key rallying point for the anti-cuts movement.

YFJ is calling on trade unions to help the march financially by sponsoring a marcher and/or supporting and helping to organise a local demonstration/meeting/rally in support of and/or during the event.

See www.jarrow2london2011.wordpress.com and www.youthfightforjobs.com for model trade union resolutions and more information.