THOUSANDS are gearing up to march through towns and cities tomorrow against “unprecedented attacks on workers” as part of a national action launched by the Enough is Enough campaign.
Union leaders will be joined by anti-poverty campaigners, politicians and footballers in a mass fightback against the cost-of-living crisis, with events held in over 50 towns and cities.
Protesters will gather in Glasgow from noon at Buchanan Street, where they are expected to hear from Scotland TUC general secretary Roz Foyer and officials from rail workers’ union RMT and posties’ union CWU, whose members are on strike.
Commenting ahead of the day of action, the CWU’s regional secretary for Scotland Craig Anderson said: “The government’s disastrous Budget last week has intensified the unprecedented attacks on working people’s living standards.
“For months teachers, nurses, firefighters and all other workers, including CWU members in Royal Mail, the Post Office and the BT Group, have been told that giving them a real pay rise would be inflationary.
“Well, now we know it’s the government handing out tax cuts to the super-rich that is causing the real economic crisis for working people in this country.
“Collective campaigning delivers victories for working people. Join us on Saturday, show solidarity with your posties, rail workers and all other workers taking action to defend living standards and tell the Establishment — Enough is Enough.”
The national day of action also coincides with dozens of “don’t pay” rallies due to be held across the country as energy bills are set to rise again on Saturday, plunging millions more people into fuel poverty, campaigners warn.
The Don’t Pay UK group, which is calling on one million consumers to withhold their energy payments from this month, said the demos will go ahead despite the government’s pledge to freeze annual energy bills to an average £2,500.
So far 200,000 people have pledged to join the non-payment strike.
Ahead of the demos, Don’t Pay Lancaster campaigner Susan Robinson said: “When our already unaffordable, extortionate energy bills rise again, millions of us simply won’t be able to keep our heads above water, yet energy companies will make billions in profit.
“On Saturday, we’ll be out on the streets to demand real action on the cost-of-living crisis and say we won’t pay for their profits!”