9 March, 2009
The UK’s Trades Union Congress (TUC) will host a “Put People First – March for Jobs, Justice, Climate” on 28 March in London. The Saturday afternoon event will serve as a mobilisation of civil society prior to the convening in London of the G20 Summit on 2 April.
Although a UK event, the TUC and International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are encouraging union delegations from around the world to attend in order to bring to the attention of G20 leaders the imperative need for effective, adequate, and appropriate action to eliminate the hardships caused by the global recession.
“The only sustainable way to rebuild the global economy is to create a fair distribution of wealth that provides decent jobs and public services for all, ends global inequality and builds a low carbon future,” stated TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber.
Brendan Barber
“Recession must not be an excuse for putting off action for global justice or to stop climate chaos,” he added. “Creating a just, fair, and sustainable world is the only lasting way out of recession.”
The march will assemble at Victoria Embankment at 11h00. (Nearest tube station is Temple.) It will then set off at noon and pass the UK Parliament, wind through central London, before ending up for a rally at Hyde Park.
The TUC is using three separate themes: Decent Jobs and Public Services for All; End Global Poverty and Inequality; and Building a Green Economy. More details on the TUC’s London march and rally can be found here.
In addition, during the week of 16 March, the ITUC will release a trade union statement with recommendations to the G20 for a fairer, more sustainable economic system. The ITUC is requesting that this “Trade Union G20 London Declaration” be sent to respective governments by trade unions everywhere on 23 March.
The document will support the necessity for inclusion of trade union representation on the four working groups established by the G20 governments, a promise that was made to global labour by world financial institutions in November 2008, but one which so far has not been met.