North London on the TUC march – words and pictures

October 18, 2014  |   Filed under: North London  |   Posted by:
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Today’s demonstration calling for an end to austerity and challenging the squeeze on working people’s standard of living was a great success.

north 01TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Today tens of thousands of people will join the TUC’s Britain Needs a Pay Rise march. Our message is that after the longest and deepest pay squeeze in recorded history, it’s time to end the lock-out that has kept the vast majority from sharing in the economic recovery.

“The average worker is £50 a week worse off than in 2007 and five million earn less than the living wage. Meanwhile, top directors now earn 175 times more than the average worker.  If politicians wonder why so many feel excluded from the democratic process, they should start with bread and butter living standards. 

“An economy that finds money for tax cuts for the rich and boardroom greed, while the rest face a pay squeeze and big cuts to the welfare system –that any of us might need – is no longer working for the many.”  

This week saw strikes by housing workers, NHS staff and civil servants – as well as threatened strike action by tube workers, lecturers and local council workers called off. The feeling on the march was angry although it’s difficult not to think that if we hadn’t seen three national strikes called off it could have been significantly different.

People came from all over the country (as well as taking part in demonstrations in Glasgow and Belfast) – and as you might expect North London was no exception. The North London Star went down to the protest to record it for posterity. If you have pictures of today’s demonstration that you’d like to see here please do send them in to the NLS office and we’ll pop them up;

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Camden teachers

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Islington FE teachers

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Islington NUT

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London Communication Workers

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London Magazine Branch NUJ (Journalists)

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London Equity

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Holborn and St Pancras Labour Party

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Islington Left Unity

Green Parliamentary hopefuls at the march Natalie Bennett (Holborn and St Pancras) and Rebecca Johnson (Hampstead and Kilburn)

Green Parliamentary hopefuls at the march Natalie Bennett (Holborn and St Pancras) and Rebecca Johnson (Hampstead and Kilburn)

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Haringey Left Unity

Greens on the march posing with leader Natalie Bennett

Greens on the march posing with leader Natalie Bennett

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Waltham Forest Left Unity

Let's go forwards!

Let’s go forwards!

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London Communists brought up the rear of the march

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Islington Trades Council

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Islington North Labour Party

Colleges employ admin, cleaners and security staff as well. All deserve respect.

Colleges employ admin, cleaners and security staff as well. All deserve respect.

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Holborn and Covent Garden Labour have a huge flag!

The RMT had a great band and turnout. Here's the banner for the Eurostar workers going out of St Pancras

The RMT had a great band and turnout. Here’s the banner for the Eurostar workers going out of St Pancras

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London’s Kurdish residents joined the march

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Finchley and Golders Green Labour at the rally

And your tweets;

Len McCluskey joins the demo behind the London region Unite banner;

Occupying Parliament Square;

London GMB at the march;

What are we doing after the march?