A Future That Works – March And Rally 20th October 2012

Tony Kearns, CWU Senior Deputy General Secretary, issued a letter to branches in which he argues that current political events prove the need for workers to demonstrate against an increasingly vicious right wing government.

But before going into detail, it is worth asking ‘what has this got to do with Health & Safety in the workplace, and why should Union Safety Reps be interested?’

Well, to put it bluntly, whilst the event is not specifically aimed at highlighting the government's attacks on health and safety at work protection and associated legislation, occurring two days before the European Week of Safety and Health at Work as it does; the event provides the opportunity for all Union Safety Reps to demonstrate against the health and safety at work legislation cull that the tory-led Con-Dem(ned) government are pursuing.

Derek Maylor, Chair of the NW BTU H&S Co-ord explains further:

“Current Tory attacks on public service jobs, the disabled, the unemployed, single parents, the elderly and trade union facilities, and employment rights; all involve various Health and Safety issues. If that were not enough reason for USRs to march on 20th October, the appalling cull of health and safety legislation and workplace inspections by the enforcing authorities - both HSE and local Environmental Health Officers – must be the defining reason for being involved.”

In LTB763/12, Tony Kearns provides not only the detail of the event in England, but reminds Branches that George Osborne’s speech and announcements at the Tory Party Conference on Monday of last week showed the extent that this government is prepared to go to blackmail workers into giving away their employment rights.

He writes:

‘The Chancellor having failed miserably with the economy has nothing new to add to the debate on creating jobs, this is simply because he and his millionaire cronies couldn’t care less about the rest of society.  Instead they dream up even more pernicious methods to attack workers and undermine trade unions. 

Let’s be clear the announcements made by Osborne to offer a pittance to give up legal protection is a sacking charter, it does nothing to give people the comfort of long term secure employment – the things that as trade unionists we know the value of. 

It shows the extent of the economic and social divide between those who govern this society and those who are paying the price of these vicious right wing policies.

It is important that on the 20th of October the CWU speaks as one union, ignoring those everywhere who seek to lie and undermine all the good work we do as a trade union. 

The CWU acting as one will be showing on the 20th October that we are a united union, and that we are at one together protesting against this Government.’

The LTB goes into the detail of the event:

The March

Assembly for the march will be from 11am along Victoria Embankment. It is intended to ‘zone’ the part of the assembly area that lies between Hungerford Bridge (by Embankment tube) and the rear of Temple Place.

Signs will be put on lamp posts or other street furniture to demarcate 14 separate zones.

The TUC Executive has decided that we should use size as the main determinant with the biggest unions at the front. 

We are also recognising that some unions want to march together and are therefore facilitating a health specialist section and an entertainment union bloc.

The CWU will assemble in area 7, situated just past Waterloo Bridge and opposite the back of Somerset House.

Hyde Park

The rally in Hyde Park will run from 1.30 – 4.00pm. This is half an hour shorter than for March 26th because it gets dark earlier.

The rally will be a rolling programme of three separate sessions of speakers and let’s not forget that our own CWU President, Beryl Shepherd will be one of those addressing the rally.  Each session will have a separate compere and be divided by music (thanks to the Musicians Union) and videos (shown onto two giant screens either side of the stage). We are still working on details of the speakers and video presentations.

Facilities in Hyde Park will include refreshment vans, a ‘safeguarding’ tent for lost children and vulnerable adults, and an information tent.  Banks of toilets will be scattered throughout the site and St Johns Ambulance will run a first aid facility.

Finally the TUC have produced a ‘Future That Works’ app which can now be downloaded from the usual sources and for users of twitter a dedicated Twitter feed @futurethatworks is being used to build momentum and will be a key source of information on the day for guidance including where the rear of the march is located.  We’re using the hashtag #Oct20 to link up people supporting the march.

Full details of the event arrangements can be found in LTB763/12 which can be downloaded here

For event details of the day in Scotland and N Ireland, see here

Source: CWU / Chris Ingram