Right to Work campaigners were joined by activists from PCS, BARAC & the LRC today to protest against austerity and spiralling unemployment.
The Office for National Statistics figures today revealed unemployment has reached a staggering 2.64 million, its highest level since 1994, with Youth unemployment rising to 1.027 million, the highest level since these records began in 1992, up on last months already recordbreaking figure. The number of women out of work is at its highest level in 23 years.
A lively protest at Downing St, accompanied by George ‘the Grinch’ Osborne, stealing jobs at Xmas, coincided with the release of the most recent unemployment figures. Today also saw more news of hundreds jobs to go at Thomas Cook, on top of recent job losses at the DVLA, Carrillion and Cadburys – all announced in the run up to Xmas.
The jobs massacre has already made 100,000 public sector workers unemployed between March and June of this year. The 1% cap on public sector pay rises for two years announced by George Osborne on 29 November will deal a further devastating blow.
The protest was part of a series of events organised by Right to Work to highlight the scandal of mass unemployment. The next edition of Labour Market Statistcs / unemployment figures announcement will be on 18 Jan 2012. RtW will hold a protest on the day. Details will be posted in the New Year.
