Youth Fights for Jobs' Jarrow March (2nd Oct)

The following resolution submitted by TFL No1 Branch was carried unanimously at the October 27th Regional Council meeting.

This region notes that:
Youth unemployment has reached its highest level since records began and there are presently just under 1 million 16-24 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEET). The number of NEETs is rising as the global economy begins to slow down and head towards recession again. The ConDem government are attacking the right to an education by raising tuition fees to £9,000 per year, by dismantling the comprehensive education system through the introduction of free schools and expansion the academies programme, and scrapping EMA for 16 to 19 year olds. This is on top of the government's plans to axe 700,000 public sector jobs, local council job losses, the awarding the Thameslink train contract to Siemens, and the passing of the Health & Social Care Bill through the House of Commons.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the Jarrow march where 200 unemployed workers marched from Jarrow to London against unemployment and in protest at their poor living conditions. Youth Fight for Jobs will be marking the event by holding a march from Jarrow to London in protest against the lack of decent jobs for young people and for the right to a free education. The march will build on the previous student demonstrations and protests against the cuts and help a mass movement to defeat the cuts. The march also shows that we still have to fight for jobs and decent living standards and public services.

This Region resolves to:
*Publicise the Jarrow March as widely as possible.
*Encourage that a young member from all branches participates in all or sections of the march and who will support a demonstration in London in support of this march.