100,000 plus to protest against public spending cuts
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This Saturday 100,000 plus union members and campaigners - including many from Bristol - are set to march against the government's cuts in public spending, jobs, services and pensions. From Bristol, the Anti Cuts Alliance, the NUJ, students, as well as other local factions will be strongly represented. The protest is predicted to be the biggest in over 20 years. Almost 650 coaches have been hired from towns and cities across the UK as well as 10 chartered trains from areas including Scotland and the north-west of England.

For protestors, the march wil be a chance to demonstrate unity and opposition against unfair and unneccesary spending cuts, while backing the alternatives of a Robin Hood tax on bankers, closures of tax loopholes, and investment in jobs and green growth. Protestors plan to march from Victoria Embankment to a rally in Hyde Park.

A survey by Unison and the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union showed that a third of public-sector workers had personal debts of £10,000 or more, revealing the "shocking impact" of the Government's cuts and pay freeze. ... Full Article.

Update! Today (Thursday 24th March) Bristol University staff were on strike as part of a national day of industrial action against plans for compulsory redundancies and proposals over pay. While Tuesday's strike was over proposed changes to pensions, today's action was over the looming threat of compulsory redundancies for staff and the offer of a 0.5% pay increase this year, following a 0.4% increase last year and a pay freeze the following two years. With inflation currently running at 5.5% the prospect of a less than 1% pay increase over four years equates to a large scale real terms cut in pay for university staff. Full Article.

Further Links: Bristol University Strikes Over Pensions | Bristol Uncut Demo 19th March 2011 | UCU Strike At University of Bristol 22/03/2011 | Watch this film: The Debt Crisis as Just Another Story - Challenging the Need for Cuts | London Indymedia |