Motion passed at the March meeting of NUJ press and PR branch:

‘This branch welcomes the march for jobs, justice and climate to be held in London on Saturday 28 March 2009 at the time of the G20, organised by the TUC, trade unions, and a wide range of NGOs, religious and other campaigning pressure groups.

The branch further notes the appalling rise in redundancies and unemployment both within our own industry and across the wider economy as a result on the continuing and worsening economic crisis, with even official unemployment figures expected to exceed three million by the end of the year.

It therefore believes that an urgent and co-ordinated response by the trade union and NGO movements is required.

This branch recalls the powerful impact made by the TUC-organised people’s march for jobs in 1981 and believes that the time is right for a similar initiative, involving a wide coalition of interests similar to those involved in the march for jobs on 28 March, which would also involve trade unionists and NGOs, religious and campaigning groups in the four nations making up the UK.

It also recognises that the economic crisis is international and calls for similar initiatives to be taken in Europe, supported by the European TUC and the European trade union movement.

To achieve these objectives and as a matter of urgency, we call on the union’s NEC, or appropriate emergency body to which powers are delegated between NEC meetings, to raise this proposal with the NUJ members on the TUC general council so that it can be discussed by the general council as soon as possible.’

Posted by Rich Simcox