2011-02-24

March For the Alternative: Jobs, Growth, Justice | 26 March 2011: March and rally against the cuts

VIDEO: RMT on the march


Transport union the RMT have produced this film about the cuts, and the alternatives that we’ll be marching for on 26 March.Join RMT members and other unions on the March for the Alternative. Take the pledge to march with us.

The urban myths about March 26th

The urban myths about March 26th

The power of social media to organise protest rapidly and informally is very powerful. As well as obvious examples close to home, we only have to look at what is happening across North Africa and the Middle East.

But it can also spread disinformation and untruths very quickly. Many no doubt start and are passed on innocently and in good faith, but perhaps not with all of them.

So here are some of the urban myths about the March for the Alternative:

Access and Disability

We are working hard to make the March for the Alternative as accessible as is practical. The sheer size of the event does present real challenges, not least that large areas of central London are likely to be closed to vehicles or completely congested for most of the day, but we are doing what we can to meet these.

Social media for the Alternative

Social media for the Alternative

Social media is already playing a big role in mobilising for the March for the Alternative on 26 March. As unions reach out to their members through newsletters, emails and local meetings, supporters are also sharing news of the march with their own friends, families and colleagues online.

Many recent protests have been built using social media contacts, with a new wave of invitations going out every time someone signs up to come and tells their own friends.People might be cautious about coming along to an unfamilar event (and we’re hoping the march will attract many first time demonstrators) but if they see someone they know is going, it’ll give them much more confidence to come along themselves.

If everyone coming on the march were to tell their own social network contacts, we could make this huge. So please take a moment today to invite your own contacts, and help this thing to snowball.

Video: March for fairer tax

Video: March for fairer tax

Here’s a new video from PCS, the trade union that represents workers in HM Revenue and Customs. Despite each HMRC Tax Compliance Officer recovering £658,000 of taxes every year, they’re not being spared the deep cuts advocated by the coalition government, with another 13,000 HMRC job losses expected by 2015.

Join PCS and many other tax justice protestors marching with us on 26 March to demand that fairer taxes play a more important part in reducing the deficit.

Why are you marching?

Why are you marching?

Since we’ve been running our “Pledge to March for the Alernative” action on the site, we’ve had many hundreds of great message sent in, telling us why you’re coming on the march.

You can see them in dozens of places around the web, thanks to the sites that have taken copies of our pledge widget (get yours here), but we thought we’d share just a few of our recent favourites with you here too:

WEAR YOUR UNIFORMS!

WEAR YOUR UNIFORMS!

Some public service workers have asked us if they should wear their uniforms on the march.

We are not planning a dress code. But clearly this is an excellent way for those who wear uniforms as part of their job to remind people of the importance of what they do, and will provide great images for the media.

So if you want to wear your uniform, please feel free to do so. And if you don’t, that’s fine too.

VIDEO: PAPER-CUTS AGAINST CUTS

TUC affiliated union the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) have produced this great little video to promote the March For The Alternative.

COACH PLANNING UPDATE

We now know of about 500 coaches coming to the march, with more likely closer to the date. That this many people are on their way is fantastic news for the march, but it creates big problems of logistics.

Coming on the March for the Alternative? Please tell us your story

Coming on the March for the Alternative? Please tell us your story

Over the next few months the TUC will be raising the profile of the march so that as many people as possible come along.

An important way to raise its profile is to generate lots of media exposure with stories and features across newspapers, magazines, TV and radio.

The stories that most interest readers and listeners are ones that explain the impact of cuts through the lives of everyday people.

Posted via email from projectbrainsaver