See below for an invite to attend this anti-austerity demo at the Conservative Party conference – if you are interested let us know at uol@iwgb.org.uk.

Dear UoL IWGB

NO MORE AUSTERITY | SCRAP THE PAY CAP | TORIES OUT

FOR DECENT HEALTH, HOMES, JOBS & EDUCATION

National Demonstration, Sunday 1 October 2017
Assemble 12pm, Castlefield Arena Rice Street, Manchester M3 4JR

Central London Coach – £5 waged/ £3 students/ unwaged

Leaves Eversholt Street, NW1 (side of Euston Station) at 6.30am

Returns from Manchester at 4.30pm

The SOAS UNISON branch is organising a coach to take central London trade unionists, students and community activists to Manchester for the People’s Assembly demonstration on Sunday, 1 October 2017 on the day the Conservative Party Conference opens.

We are writing to you to ask if your branch can:

  • Make a donation towards the costs of the coach (The coach is costing £1,148.00 – cheques should be made payable to SOAS UNISON and sent to Peter Baran, SOAS UNISON Branch Treasurer, c/o SOAS Students’ Union, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG)
  • Publicise the protest and the details of the coach to members of your branch and local community (The coach will be leaving from Eversholt Street , NW1 (next to Euston Station) at am on Sunday, 1 August 2017. Tickets are £5 waged, £3 students and unwaged although trade union branches contributing to the cost of the coach can have free tickets made available.

We have also been asked to invite you and your members to an important Keep Our NHS Public organising meeting being held at SOAS in room T102, 22 Russell Square at 6pm on Wednesday 6 September 2017 which has been called to discuss:

  • Building locally to get as many people from central London as possible up to the Peoples Assembly demonstration in Manchester and;
  • To build for the Camden Trades Council public meeting “Public Sector Pay – Fight to End the Cap” – a meeting called by Camden Trades Council for Wednesday 20 September, 6.30 to 8.30 PM, to boost opposition to the continued erosion of real pay across the public sector workforce.

The ongoing pay cap is a key element of the Tory government’s austerity agenda, which the trade union movement must confront and end.

Venue: Council Chamber, First Floor, Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE

Speakers include:

  • John McDonnell MP, the Shadow Chancellor (to be confirmed)
  • Roger McKenzie, UNISON Assistant General Secretary
  • Lucy Masoud, FBU London Regional Treasurer, and
  • Speakers from Unite dispute on outsourced contract at Barts NHS Trust among others

The election result has left Theresa May and the Conservative Party with a weak, unstable Government. Millions of people have rejected the Tories vicious policies that only benefit those at the top.

The People’s Assembly demonstration will provide a focus for the huge opposition to the politics of austerity, racism and war and demand an alternative that works for everyone.

https://www.unison.org.uk/events/payupnowmarch/

Sandy Nicoll
SOAS UNISON Branch Secretary