EMA vote: Campaigning Alliance calls nationwide day of protest and lobby of Parliament – 18 and 19 January

Following the announcement of a Parliamentary vote on the abolition of the EMA as part of an opposition day debate on Wednesday 19 January, the campaigning alliance of NUS and seven trade unions has called a national day of protest for 18 January.

NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST: NUS, UCU, UNISON, UNITE, NUT, GMB, ATL and NAS/UWT have agreed the joint campaign plan which calls for lunchtime protests, meetings and petitioning on college campuses across the country on  January 18.

LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT:

On 19 January, the day of the vote itself, the campaign partners have called a lobby of Parliament in the House of
Commons from 1-4pm.  Following the lobby on Wednesday, MPs will vote on a motion that calls on the government to rethink its plans to scrap the financial support. There will also be a rally in the House of Commons on the day. More details soon – check on www.emacampaign.org.uk

In addition on the Wednesday – Assemble 4pm at PICCADILLY CIRCUS to March on Parliament from 5pm (Facebook group) – Supported by the London Student Assembly, NCAFC and Education Activist Network.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

A FUTURE THAT WORKS – MARCH AND RALLY IN MANCHESTER, SATURDAY, JANUARY 29 AND PARALLEL MARCH AND RALLY IN LONDON

The march and rally organized by UCU, NUS and the TUC is now being supported by UNITE, UNISON, PCS and the NUT. The event will highlight the impact of government cuts on young people under the slogan “A Future that Works”. The march will assemble at 10.30am at the Manchester Museum near to the Oxford Road junction with Brunswick Street. The march will then head down Oxford Road, onto Wilmslow Road and turn right onto Platt Lane, arriving at Platts Fields Park for a 1pm rally. Speakers will include Sally Hunt, General Secretary, UCU; Kay Carberry, TUC;  Aaron Porter, NUS; Len McCluskey, General Secretary elect of  UNITE;  Matt Wrack, General Secretary FBU and Kathy Taylor, Vice President, UCU.  The city of Manchester has been chosen because the North-West has the highest number of young people claiming job seeker’s allowance in the UK and young people will be particularly badly hit by the cutting of education maintenance allowances (EMA), tripling of university tuition fees and the cutting of youth services. Read more here: http://www.ucu.org.uk/index.cfm?articleid=5188

In parallel  the UCU National Executive Committee has also agreed to back a demonstration called on the same day, January 29 in London by student groups working independently of NUS. The NEC asked for a meeting with these groups to be convened discuss their plans. This meeting has now taken place and more details will be issued as soon as we have further information.

THE JUXTAPOSITION OF THESE TWO MARCHES ON THE SAME DAY EXPRESSES A CLASSIC DILEMMA IN CONTEMPORARY COSTUME. ON THE ONE HAND WE HAVE THE OFFICIAL RALLY IN MANCHESTER – CONTROLLED FROM ABOVE. NONE OF WHICH IS TO SAY WE SHOULD NOT BE THERE. ON THE OTHER WE HAVE THE MARCH CALLED BY THE INDEPENDENT GROUPS IN LONDON, WHO HAVE BEEN THE MOST RADICAL  AND IMPROVISED IN THE FACE OF THE ASSAULT ON FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION.  ALREADY WE HAVE HEARD OUR SUPPORTERS RAISING ISSUES AROUND HOW DO WE SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE’S  RESISTANCE WITHOUT SUFFOCATING THEIR AUTONOMY. THIS QUESTION WILL NOT GO AWAY AND WILL BE TESTED IN PRACTICE OVER THE COMING MONTHS. IN THE MEANTIME WE HOPE YOU CAN GET TO EITHER MANCHESTER OR LONDON ON THE 29th.