Lobby of Labour Party Conference, Brighton, Sunday 27th September 12.30pm

For Jobs, Education and Peace

The RMT is supporting the lobby of the Labour Party Conference on Sunday 27th September for jobs, education and peace sponsored by a coalition of trade unions and pressure groups including UCU, PCS, NUT, NUJ, Right to Work, Stop the War and Unite Against Fascism. I would urge RMT members to attend this key rally to demand a change of direction over proposals to cut public expenditure.

Spending cuts will damage public services for our communities and are an attack on the livelihoods of public sector workers. Working class people should not be made to pay the cost of a recession they did not create. The Lobby will demand: -

• Jobs Spending should be targeted at generating employment and strengthening public services not cutting public services in a time of economic crisis.

  Billions were found to prop up the banking system. There is a tax gap of £25 billion owed in unpaid taxes, while tax avoidance is estimated at £100 billion. Closing the loopholes and collecting what’s owed could and should fund decent jobs, public services and education for all.

• Education Further and higher education are being asked to make £400m of cuts, which means the loss of thousands of jobs and student places. Even before these cuts were announced over 100 institutions around the UK had announced staff cuts with an impact upon provision. So far over 100,000 students have been affected, with many courses closing completely next term. Meanwhile 300,000 prospective students were left without university places as a result of Government failure to invest in expansion.
• Peace The continued deployment of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq together with the proposed Trident replacement nuclear programme cost billions of pounds that could be spent on jobs, education and public services for the most vulnerable in society. We call on the Government to prioritise spending on public services rather than war or weaponry.

Get involved Assemble on Sunday 27 September at 12.30pm on Madeira Drive, Brighton. We want a really visible RMT presence and branches should take along their banners.

For further information please see the attached leaflet and transport information circulated by the UCU.

Yours sincerely,

Bob Crow General Secretary

Transport to Brighton

London and South East region London: Train from London Victoria to Brighton organised by the Right to Work campaign. Return tickets £20 full price/ £10 concessions. Call 07986 936 094 or 07973 640 057 or visit www.righttowork.org.uk for further information.