Thousands of Workers Head to Birmingham to say ‘Jobs Come First’

LONDON - National March for Jobs

WHEN: from 11am, Saturday, 16th May, 2009,

LONDON, May 11 /PRNewswire/ –

WHERE: from Highfield Road, Birmingham B15, marching to Centenary Square, Birmingham City Centre

WHO: Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson, Unite joint general secretaries; Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary; Lindsay Hoyle MP for Chorley; Jim Sheridan MP for Paisley & Renfrewshire North; Darrell Riley, from Birmingham, Alabama, unemployed steel worker from the United Steel Workers’ union; plus other leading figures from the world of business and politics, including former trade minister and first time marcher Digby Jones, and thousands of workers from across the UK who are worried about their jobs and futures.

National March for Jobs

As unemployment rises across the UK and key sectors of the economy are battered by the recession, Unite, the UK’s biggest union, is to bring thousands of people from across the country to Birmingham to march in defence of their jobs.

The national March for Jobs on Saturday, May 16th, 2009 through central Birmingham will see workers from every sector of the economy stand together to send a message to the Government that protecting jobs must be the number one priority.

It is expected that workers from Vauxhall, LDV, Corus, Jaguar and United Biscuits will be among the marchers. Coaches and trains are coming from across the UK to bring workers to Birmingham.

Unite is pressing for the government to - implement a short-time working subsidy to keep people in work and off the dole - more sizeable and speedy action to support UK manufacturing - more help for business from the state-aided - greater protection for UK workers from redundancy.

Unite is being contacted by workers from across the country, and may have case studies who are willing to speak to the media.

NOTES

The march will be supported by a Bhangra style band playing in Centenary square.

Source: Unite the Union

For further information please call Pauline Doyle on +44(0)7918-673-745, Ciaran Naidoo on +44(0)7768-931-315 or Mark Di-Toro on +44(0)7918-640-579 in the Unite press office.