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The 150,000 marched on London and held a giant rally to protest at the UK government's austerity measures which are cutting jobs and public services to the bone. There were also marches in Glasgow and Belfast attended by many thousands more.



Under the banner “A Future That Works” - the UK public made its voice heard. The TUC has made it clear that this is just the beginning of a new wave of protests.



UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings, speaking before the rally said, “We fully back this TUC initiative. Austerity isn’t working in the UK, and it isn’t working anywhere else in Europe. It seems that only by taking to the streets can the British people get the attention of their elected government. The Blues Blunder Brothers, Cameron and Osborne won’t even listen to the International Monetary Fund which has admitted that persevering with the current austerity measures is digging the economic hole deeper. We stand with the TUC and the thousands who will attend Saturday’s rally including our UNI affiliates who will be out in force and call for an alternative economic strategy that puts jobs, growth and workers first. We have to close the inequality gap if we want to see real growth.”



A particular focus of Saturday's march was youth unemployment



Jennings said, “There is a danger that a whole generation is being lost because of the crisis and the British government’s ham-fisted attempts to deal with it. But do not underestimate the power of youth. They are engaged and they make their voices heard as we’ve already seen with the Occupy Movement. It’s the youth of today who will shape the world and through the internet and social media they have the means to do so at their fingertips. The British government has to offer them meaningful education, training and employment. If not they will reap the consequences of disenfranchised youth. The message has to be one of inclusion not exclusion:‘Including You’.”



TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said, “The impact of spending cuts and the government's obsession with austerity economics is hitting families hard in communities right across the UK. Life has become unbearably difficult for many people, especially those who have come to rely on essential public services which are now being cut back or axed, and households where a family member is without any or enough work.”



Barber added, “Austerity is failing and nowhere is this more visible than the plight of the million plus youngsters who are desperate for work but find themselves hunting for jobs in the toughest jobs market for a generation. Not only are these young people suffering, but their parents are too. The worry that their children may become part of a lost generation is causing great distress.”





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