Rally and March
11am Saturday 22nd May 2004
Broad Street, Birmingham
Speakers:
Tony Woodley, T&G General Secretary
Derek Simpson, Amicus General Secretary
Debbie Coulter, GMB Deputy General Secretary
Richard Burden MP
Rally to be Chaired by Gerard Coyne, Regional Secretary TGWU
Called By: The TGWU, Amicus and the GMB
Trade unions will be taking the fight back for manufacturing into the heartland of British industry this month, with a march through Birmingham city centre culminating in a rally at Centenary Square on Saturday 22nd May. Tony Woodley, Transport and General Workers' Union General Secretary, has been confirmed as a key speaker, and he has pledged T&G resources to any members wanting to fight back against manufacturing job losses in their workplace.
Speaking ahead of 22nd May, Mr. Woodley encouraged communities to turn out in support of manufacturing:
"The manufacturing unions are coming together to make a joint stand. An industrial base that took two hundred years to build up has been nearly destroyed in twenty years. We say 'enough' and we encourage all those who support their jobs and communities to join us on the 22nd May.
"Government action must be immediate. Millions of jobs and a balanced economy still depend on the success of UK manufacturing. As a start the Government should speed up the review of public procurement policies."
Tony Woodley will be joined by Amicus General Secretary Derek Simpson, GMB Deputy General Secretary Debbie Coulter, and Richard Burden MP for Birmingham Northfield. The march will assemble at Broad Street in Birmingham at 11am, to set off for a rally culminating in Centenary Square at 1pm.
