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| Volume 52 Number 22, October 2, 2022 | ARCHIVE | HOME | JBCENTRE | SUBSCRIBE |
London Kings Cross - Photo: JNews
Many thousands of working people took to the streets in cities from Plymouth to Glasgow on October 1 in actions inspired by the movement Enough is Enough!
The context is the demand of workers that their rights, their wages and conditions, must not be sacrificed through the cost-of-living crisis. Actions at around 50 towns and cities were recorded. The participants in the demonstrations were swelled also by opposition to and anger against the government's "mini-Budget" and its hand-outs to the rich. Some 175,000 had signed up to march at the rallies.
Activists set fire to their energy bills in several cities including London, in a protest against rising energy bills. "Don't Pay UK" has launched a campaign that has received nearly 200,000 pledges from people who said they were prepared to stop paying their energy bills. The organisation has said that it will continue until the campaign reaches 1 million signatures.
In London, several thousand people gathered at the Enough is Enough protest outside King's Cross station speech to hear speeches from union leaders, MPs, strikers and celebrities. The atmosphere was one of collective rage and a determination to take a productive stand, mobilising the working class to fight for and defend its interests.
Speaker after speaker got massive cheers for denouncing the government and the chaos their system is delivering. Tower Hamlets MP Apsana Begum spoke of the dire consequences of the anti-social offensive. Jeremy Corbyn condemned a situation in which Britain leads Europe for inequality in the fifth biggest economy in the world. NEU joint general secretary Kevin Courtney called for unity and co-ordination between the strikers. This was also emphasised by RMT general secretary Mick Lynch, who said: "The working class is back and nothing should divide us. All the unions need to work together so they don't pick us off one by one and the People's Assembly and Enough is Enough and all the other campaigns need to be co-ordinating."
Manchester Rally - Photo: Karen Buckley
In a separate action, "Just Stop Oil" and climate campaigners blocked two bridges over the Thames, including Westminster Bridge, where activists sat in the road and played music, chanting slogans demanding that the climate crisis gets addressed. Crowds also gathered outside Euston station, carrying many Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Cuban flags and placards such as "Save My Future" and declaring that capitalism is "the enemy of Mother Earth".
Manchester had proportionately one of the biggest protests around the country. Around two thousand people assembled in Piccadilly Gardens. As well as Enough is Enough speakers, there were speakers from the rank and file of the unions, refugee campaigners, Acorn, Manchester TUC, the People's Assembly and others. Karen Buckley, People's Assembly Manchester convenor, stressed the need for maximum unity in the fight against the ruling elite.
Hundreds of people in Liverpool took to the streets. Protesters gathered at St George's Plateau in Liverpool city centre in an action backed by West Derby MP Ian Byrne and trade union groups including the Communication Workers' Union and the RMT, as well as community activist groups such as ACORN, Fans Supporting Foodbanks and Right to Food Campaign. Speakers at the rally, which attracted around 1,000 people, included trade unionists involved in the ongoing strikes at the Port of Liverpool, at National Rail and at Royal Mail delivery offices.
Also speaking were representatives of the Fire Brigade Union (FBU). Lee Hunter, a local firefighter and active member of Merseyside FBU said: "Firefighters work in the heart of our communities and see first-hand the consequences of inequality, brought about through austerity and continued attacks on the working class. Alongside other workers firefighters have effectively seen their pay cut as the cost of living has continued to rise, to the point where some are worrying about how they will cope financially. Our members will no longer suffer these ideological attacks and we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the most vulnerable in society to demand a better future for all. That is why the Fire Brigades Union on Merseyside and nationally support Enough is Enough."
In Glasgow, thousands of protesters gathered on the Buchanan Galleries steps, as two demonstrations converged. Activists from the Enough Is Enough campaign joined striking unions in the city, shouting slogans such as "Victory to the working class!". Chris Mitchell from the GMB union, who became well known in the city for his rousing speeches during the Glasgow bin workers strike during Cop26 in November 2021, told the protesters: "You should be proud of yourselves today. The working class are alive and kicking!"
In Birmingham, thousands joined the Enough Is Enough rally outside New Street station. The Conservative Party Conference began in Birmingham the next day, and a march was held from New Street to the ICC where the conference is being held.
March in Nottingham - Photo: Westbridgford
Wire
The Bristol Enough is Enough rally saw up to 1,500 people out on the streets. After speeches from Acorn and striking UCU FE workers, the march headed off to the headquarters of OVO energy which was temporarily besieged by the large crowd. Marchers then joined the picket line of striking rail workers at Temple Meads, where the main road was blocked for some time, clearing only to let an ambulance through. Hundreds of demonstrators then marched to a Royal Mail delivery office in South Bristol, joining the CWU pickets.
In Norwich there was a large turnout for a rally with people filling the streets, shouting slogans and holding signs with messages such as "Power to the people" and "Support the strikes".
In Nottingham, thousands marched from Nottingham Station to Old Market Square. Representatives from Unite the Union, RMT, CWU, West Bridgford Labour Party, University of Nottingham, Keep Our NHS Public were among many others joining the day of action.
Around 1,000 people filled the streets of Newcastle as they took part in the Enough is Enough rally against the cost of living crisis. It was one of the city's bigger rallies in recent years. Among the speakers at Grey's Monument in the city centre were Jo Shafto of CWU and Jessica Robinson of RMT, both currently in dispute, received great receptions as they condemned their profiteer employers for making a killing while forcing workers and service users to accept cuts. Representatives from UCU, PCS, TUC also spoke to huge cheers.
Hairy Bikers celebrity Si King - Photo: Newcastle
Chronicle
Speaking to crowds at the Newcastle rally, Hairy Bikers celebrity Si King said: "I am here to talk about hope. That we, the people, can change unfair systems that put profit and unending growth before our families and our communities. That we, the people, in calmness, can educate, inform, and debate. That, we the people, can make changes. Because as individuals and as families and communities, we the people, have the power to do so." Si King said: "People should rightly be concerned. It is not about party politics. I don't care whether you vote Tory, Liberal or Labour. What I do care about is the humanity of things. People are being pushed into poverty and desperation through absolutely no fault of their own but through systems in place that are fractures and broken and don't work. You can't continue to put profit and corporate wealth and power over people and their lives."
Newcastle Rally - Photo: Workers' Weekly
The North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll and local MP Ian Lavery both gave powerful speeches urging the need to fight on after today. People's Assembly's Tony Dowling's emphasised that the fight of striking workers "is everybody's fight!" chimed with the insurgent mood of the crowd. Lisa Doherty, a volunteer from NUFC Fans Food Bank, said, "We agree completely with the aims and demands of Enough is Enough. We go to St James' Park every match day and collect money and food which then gets given to the West End Food Bank - one of the biggest food banks in the country." Liz Blackshaw, TUC regional secretary for the northern region, said: "We are here to protest against the Government's continued lack of response to the cost of living crisis. We are not seeing enough wage increases and we're not seeing any response to demands for the windfall tax on big energy companies. We saw bankers lose their cap last week, so they have unlimited pay opportunities, whereas public service workers are still waiting for a cost of living reflection in their pay." Enough is Enough's Regional Coordinator for the North East Declan Mulholland, said: "Hard-working families in the North East are living in destitution and desperation whilst the rich get handouts. It's totally unacceptable, the working people of our region deserve better. We are gathering this Saturday to say Enough Is Enough." The rally was followed by a march to the RMT picket line at Central Station.
Rally at City Hall, Sheffield - Photo: James
Black
City Hall in Sheffield was the venue for a rally backed by the People's Assembly and the Trades Council. It ended in a march through the central shopping district. The secretary of the Sheffield Trades Council, Martin Mayer, called for people to fill all the remaining seats on the following day's coach to the demonstration at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.
In Crewe, East Cheshire People's Assembly and the Crewe and District Trades Council came together for the first time to organise a demonstration in support of striking rail and mail workers and to demand an end to the Tory Government. Taking part in the demonstration were pickets from RMT, TSSA, Aslef, Unite, and the CWU, alongside many others.
At the Hastings Demands Better large rally the mood was determined and defiant. Unions and local campaigns came together in unity against the cost of living crisis and against the system as a whole.
City Hall Belfast - Photo: Belfast News
Hundreds of people gathered outside City Hall in Belfast to demand more government action amid the cost of living crisis. The event, which was organised by campaign group the Cost of Living Coalition, was addressed by representatives from trade unions, community groups and political parties. One of those who spoke to the crowd was Northern Ireland's Children's commissioner Koulla Yiasouma. She said that prior to the pandemic there were 110,000 children in the north of Ireland living in poverty. The commissioner added there were concerns that some children could die from hypothermia over the winter months. "This is Northern Ireland in 2022 and we're worried about children dying of hypothermia," she said. "It's time for our governments, wherever they are, to make different choices."
On the Isle of Wight, people gathered in St James's Square, Newport. Darren Galpin, who has been organising the monthly protests under the banner of "The People's Assembly Against Austerity", spoke for the need for increasingly urgent action to help with the cost of living crisis. Cllr Richard Quigley and many members of the Island Labour Party were there, as was Vix Lowthion and her Green party supporters. Mark Chiverton of the trade union Unison, spoke on behalf of workers, and said that there will be another national rally on November 5 in Newport, as well as in London. People were keen to participate further in the local and national campaigns.
Among the other places where rallies and demonstrations were held on October 1 were Hull, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Southend, Ellesmere Port, Huddersfield, Lancaster and Bath.
London
Birmingham - Newport Isle of Wight
Glasgow - Crewe
Sheffield - Nottingham
Chesterfield - Hastings
Norwich - Nottingham