March and rally against austerity and the Trade Union Bill in Manchester

date: Thursday 24 September 2015
embargo: Op note – for immediate release

Workers from across the UK will join together from 12noon on Sunday 4 October for a national march and public rally in Manchester against the government’s austerity programme and the Trade Union Bill.

The event – No to Austerity, Yes to Workers’ Rights – takes place on the first day of the Conservative Party Conference. It will highlight the impact of the Trade Union Bill, which will enable employers to break strikes by bringing in agency workers to cover for striking workers. Such legislation could have significant safety implications, lead to worse public services, and would undermine the right to strike, says the TUC.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the march, which will form up from 12noon along Oxford Road from the main stage area at All Saints Park (Grosvenor Square, Oxford Road, Manchester (M1 7DU).

The rally commences with music from 12.30pm. Speakers – who will include TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady, musician Billy Bragg and ex-Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh – will begin at 1pm. The first part of the rally will take place while the march is static and at 1.30pm the march will move off. Speeches and music will continue as the march progresses down Oxford Road and passes the stage.

The march route confirmed with police is: march down Oxford Road to Portland Street, turn right into Portland Street to the junction with Princess Street, turn left into Princess Street and follow until Albert Square, follow left around Albert Square to Southmill Street, bear right into Southmill Street to junction with Peter Street, turn right into Peter Street to junction with Deansgate, turn left into Deansgate to finish at junction with Liverpool Road.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The Trade Union Bill is the biggest attack on trade unions in 30 years.

“If it passes, employers will be able to break strikes by bringing in agency workers to cover for strikers. This could have big safety implications, lead to worse public services, and will make it much harder for workers to defend their pay and conditions.”

TUC North West Regional Secretary Lynn Collins, who has organised the event in conjunction with the unions said: “Sunday will be a chance for thousands of ordinary people to show what they think about the government’s Trade Union Bill.

“Ministers want to silence opposition to their cuts agenda. The proposed restrictions on peaceful picketing and protests within are excessive. They mean that striking workers will have to tell their employer all their plans – including what they will post on Facebook – two weeks before the strike.

“All these changes, taken together, threaten the right to strike – and that means that workers won’t be able to defend jobs or services, or stand up for safety and decency at work.”

Events on Sunday 4 October

12noon  Oxford Road assemble for rally and march

12.30pm Rally commences in All Saints Park with music

1pm  Speakers

1.30pm March moves off following route above

NOTES TO EDITORS:
- For more information about the rally and march, including disabled access and transport information, please visit www.tuc.org.uk/about-tuc/no-austerity-4-oct-march-and-rally
- The TUC's campaign plan can be downloaded from www.tuc.org.uk/campaignplan
- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk
- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @The_TUC and follow the TUC press team @tucnews

Contacts:
Media enquiries:
Alex Rossiter  T: 020 7467 1285  M: 07887 572130  E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk
Tim Nichols  T: 020 7467 1388  M: 07808 761844  E: tnichols@tuc.org.uk
Elly Gibson (Mon to Wed)  T: 020 7467 1337  M: 07900 910624  E: egibson@tuc.org.uk
Kay Atwal (Thur and Fri)  T: 020 7467 1385  M: 07941 547469  E: katwal@tuc.org.uk