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UNI Global Union salutes the marchers and urges the government to abandon its plan to make massive spending cuts to public services for the most vulnerable members of the population and cut more than a million jobs.

UNI members and staff were at the march in London and UNI Europa Regional Secretary Bernadette Ségol, who will soon take the reins of the European Trade Union Confederation told the crowd of 500,000 that the European trade union movement is behind them.

“People in Europe are asked to pay the price for the foolishness of financial markets,” Ségol said. “They destroyed our economy and they are asking us to pick up their bill. We will not allow this incredible injustice to happen.”





Here is the full text of Ségol's speech:

Friends, brothers and sisters,

I am bringing to you all the warm and fraternal greetings of the European Trade Union Confederation and the 60 million workers behind it.

In London today, in Berlin, Brussels, Riga, and Madrid last week, in Budapest soon workers and their families, citizens of Europe, are marching the streets for an alternative.

You marched the streets and the European workers marched the streets of London with you for social justice and fairness.

You want, need and deserve jobs, good jobs.

You want, need and deserve good public services.

You want, need and deserve action for growth.

You want need and deserve equality, solidarity in a fair society.

This is why all of us have gathered here today.

Politicians tell us they need to cut. Cuts in public services, cuts in wages and so on!

We tell them: start with growth, not with cuts.

Cuts will bring misery not growth.

Privatisation, liberalisation will bring more inequalities.

Colleagues we will not let the public sector in Europe be destroyed.

People in Europe are asked to pay the price for the foolishness of financial markets.

They destroyed our economy and they are asking us to pick up their bill.

We will not allow this incredible injustice to happen.

Our message to politicians all over Europe is loud and clear:

We shall not let the rich become richer and the poor become poorer.

Money should be taken where it can be found in a Robin Hood tax for instance and through fair taxation.

We will not let wages go down while CEOs receive millions in bonuses. Money should not come from your pocket, not from your wage bill.

Friends, merci, danke schön, gracias, gracie mille. Thank you for your strength and determination. Thank you for standing for your rights and beliefs.

Count on our support. Let us continue the march together.