Britain needs a pay rise
Social Workers Say Britain Needs a Pay Rise
“I wholeheartedly support this action being taken by the TUC and I am proud that BASW will be taking part, to add our social work voices to this important demand on our government, that Britain needs a pay rise. It is about fairness and if social work is about anything it is about fairness and justice. I look forward to social workers marching on the 18th October, united with other workers, including people who use our services, for a fairer and more equal society.”
Guy Shennan, BASW Chair
Meeting Point:
The BASW meeting point for the London march has been set as the north west end of Blackfriars Bridge from 10.30am for members. The location offers a large pavement area, and leads directly down to Embankment. It is also on the other side of Blackfriars Railway Station and Underground Station entrance, and is 20 minutes by the bus from Kings Cross.
BASW wants its members to join the biggest demonstration this decade and let the government know that: ‘Britain needs a pay rise’.
Organised by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) this mass demonstration in London will highlight the issues surrounding low pay and government austerity.
Some key reasons for BASW members to get involved:
- Poverty Pay - one in five people in Britain now earn less than the living wage, and for the first time ever we have more people in work below the poverty line than the number of people unemployed.
- The Cost of Living Crisis - We are told that we have recovered from the cost of living crisis, but ordinary people are still £40 a week worse off on average than they were five years ago. Furthermore, if bankers hadn't crashed the economy and wages growth had stayed on track, workers would have £100 a week more in their pay packets.
- Rising Inequality - In 1998, Chief Executives received 45 times the average pay. Now they receive 185 times the average pay. Put in other terms, they make more in a day and a half than what most people earn in twelve months.
London: The march will assemble at 11am, Saturday 18 October 2014, on the Embankment near Blackfriars. Leaving at noon people will follow a route through central London via Northumberland Avenue, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly before arriving in Hyde Park for the rally.
Glasgow: The Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) is organising around the slogan: ‘A just Scotland. Decent work, dignified lives'. The demonstration will assemble at 10am, Saturday 18 October 2014, on Glasgow Green. Leaving at 10.30am people will march through Glasgow to George Square for the rally. For more information please visit the campaign's website.
SASW members will meet outside Queen Street station near the Sainsbury’s 24-hour shop at 9.30am.
Belfast: The Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions is organisng around the slogan: 'A Pay Rise for All', and the march will asemble at 12.pm, Saturday 18 October 2014, at Writer's Square, leaving at 12.45pm. For more information please visit the march's webpage.
NIASW members will meet at Writer's Square at 12pm.
For details on where to meet on 18 October 2014 email your national contact below:
Visit the TUC’s campaign site or to go to the Peoples Assembly Against Austerity website for further information.
Transport
The key Tube stations will be Blackfriars, Southwark and St Pauls. Temple is likely to be closed as it is small and easily overcrowded.
Coach parking
The TUC has now identified a range of coach parks around central London for use on the day. These can be booked by either the coach company directly, or by the hiring organisation.
It is the responsibility of the person making the booking to ensure that all paperwork arrives with the appropriate coach on the day.
From the north and west
200 parking bays have been secured at Wembley Stadium. The coach park post code is HA9 OWS. Coaches wishing to book a bay should go to the official Wembley parking site and follow the instructions.
A total parking fee of £34 per coach is payable. If there are still spaces left, it will be possible to purchase parking at Wembley on the day, but the cost will be considerably higher.
Wembley Stadium coach park will be staffed from at least 8.30am - 8pm ensuring early arrivals gain entry and all vehicles have time to depart the site post event.
From the south and south west
200 parking places will be available at New Covent Garden in Nine Elms. The coach park post code is SW8 5BX. Coaches wishing to book a bay should go to the New Covent Garden coach park booking site. A parking fee of £61.00 plus booking charge of £4.31 per coach is payable.
If there are still spaces left, it will be possible to purchase parking at New Covent Garden on the day, but the cost will be £150 per coach.
From the east
There will be 50 parking places at the O2 Arena in Greenwich. The coach park postcode is SE10 ODX.
Coaches wishing to book a bay should go to the Event Brite coach parking site. A parking fee of £61.00 plus booking charge of £4.31 per coach is payable.
If there are still spaces left, it will be possible to purchase parking on the day, but the cost will be £150 per coach.
Please bring the confirmation email (which has your vehicle registration number on it) plus the pdf ticket attachment with you on the day. The O2 coach park will be staffed from7am to 7pm ensuring early arrivals gain entry and all vehicles have time to depart the site post event. North Greenwich is an accessible station on the Jubilee line.
For the latest information about transport click here to go to the demonstration website.