Throughout October 2011, Youth Fight for Jobs, a campaigning organisation, marched from Jarrow to London. This marked the 75th anniversary of the Jarrow Crusade, when 200 unemployed workers took a similar route to raise awareness of mass unemployment. Today, as unemployment and youth unemployment soars, the ConDem coalition is axing jobs and services; this new campaign is absolutely vital.
The Jarrow marchers demanded:
- A massive government scheme to create jobs which are socially useful and apprenticeships which offer guaranteed jobs at the end – both paying at least the minimum wage, with no youth exemptions.
- The immediate reinstatement of EMA payments, expanding them to be available to all 16-19 year olds. Scrap university fees, for free high quality education.
- The immediate re-opening of all youth services that have been closed, including reinstating sacked staff.
- The scrapping of ‘workfare’ schemes – benefits should be based on need not forced slave labour.
- A massive building programme of environmentally sound, cheap social housing.
To make the march happen, we worked with the trade union movement and activists to raise £26,000 and organise demonstrations, rallies and protests in every town, city and area that the march visited. You can find reports and photos of all of these on this blog. We have produced an information pack on the march, click here.
The march is now over but the campaign is just getting started. Keep watching the blog for news of our campaign work around the country. We are determined to keep fighting for a future for all young people.
Any further queries, get in contact here, or email [email protected] or call 020 8558 7947. For more info on Youth Fight for Jobs, see our website www.youthfightforjobs.com
This blog is updated by Ben Robinson, Paul Callanan and Suzanne Beishon.
Hello,
I live on the march route. Can we help by say hosting some of the marchers and giving them accommodation and food etc?
Who would I contact?
Best wishes,
Michael.
yes that’d be great if you could help out. Give us an email on or call 020 8558 7947. Ta!
Hi, we were discussing this idea the other day and it’s great to see that other people have to. NEYSCU (North East Youth Schools and Colleges Union) might be interested in helping planning and marching. I’ll have to run it by them first but I would love to be involved, so is there a way to keep updated??
Hi,
that’d be great if you were interested in getting involved! I’ll add you to our mailing list, but we’re also aiming to have an open meeting at the end of this month about organising the march – we’ll put up a post on here and send an email out when we’ve got the details confirmed, just booking the venue at the moment.
Our Son Alex Moore is taking part. Commitment to a cause is a praisworthy virtue. Some people would do well to take an example of his principles. Big Up for Alex. : o )
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