Public Works Update 27th March 2011
 26
March: Together we can achieve anything
Click
here for Photo Gallery
See
an 'on march' report from the UNISONActive blog
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Branch banner on March
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Branch members joined thousands of Scotland UNISON members
as they descended on London on Saturday 26th March from across
the country to join hundreds of thousands in the biggest trade
union demonstration in a generation.
Many, including members of our branch, travelled overnight on
buses, arriving in London early to join the march. The branch
banner joined banners from across Scotland and the UK and became
part of a ribbon of green and purple that snaked past the iconic
sights of London to make one simple point - there is an alternative
to cuts and to the smashing of our welfare state.
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 "It
was such a privilege to be part of this inspiring day. With
almost half a million people on the march it felt like the
real Big Society. The people who deliver our public services
and the people who rely on them standing together against
greed and for fairness. Hopefully a signal to workers and
public alike that we can change things if we act together.
Pay attention Cameron and Clegg. This is just the start."
Morag Lawrence, Steward
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Branch members posted 50 postcards from the march in London
to local MPs and MSPs asking them what they will do to promote
fair funding for Aberdeenshire Council to support the provision
of local services for local people by local people.
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 "I
found the whole experience amazing. It gave me inspiration
to carry on and I am proud to be a Unison steward for the
Aberdeenshire Branch." Julie Neale, Steward
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This was a well organised and good humoured march with trade
union members joined by parents, children, students and older
people, all with one message for this UK government - leave our
services alone.
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 "The
March for the Alternative was massive, amazing and moving.
Massive in terms of 500,000 people marching through central
London past the seat of government from 11am to 5pm from
the Thames to Hyde Park.
Amazing in that people from all walks of life, ages and
abilities felt strongly enough to travel from right across
the British Isles to take part in the March for the Alternative.
Moving because all those people really did form a big society
with a belief in the need for local services for local needs
as part of a fairer society." Steve Gray, Asst Branch
Secretary
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At the Rally in Hyde Park, we heard speaker after speaker calling
for a government rethink. Speakers from churches and voluntary
groups joined trade union leaders, the TUC and Ed Miliband, leader
of the Labour Party to express their deep concern and anger about
the impact of the cuts on ordinary people, on the poor and vulnerable
and on the economy. And to highlight the injustice and immorality
of bankers getting £7 bn in bonusses whilst 4,000,000 children
live in poverty and more and more families are struggling to make
ends meet.
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 "I
felt I was part of something that would be written in the
history books and it made me proud to work for UNISON. It
was like we were winning for the day!"
Wendy Hudson, UNISON staff.
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Public sector unions and unions whose members work in the private
sector were of one voice because despite this government's rhetoric,
cuts to public services will hit the private sector every bit
as much as they will the public sector.
It was a wonderful event. It was truly uplifting to see so many
people come together to challenge the policies of this government
and to tell them that "There is a better way!"
top
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Branch
campaign against budget cuts