Thousands in protest march to halt cuts

Published on Saturday 10 April 2010 20:28

UP TO 2,500 people joined a demonstration yesterday to protest against cuts which they fear could hit Scots "from the cradle to the grave".

With the General Election looming, leaders of the trade union, Unison, organised a march and rally in Glasgow, urging people to defend public services.

A union spokesman said about 2,500 people had taken part in the demonstration, which "went very well".

Unison's Scottish convener Mike Kirby said cuts to public services could threaten all stages of life.

"Unison members, who deliver services across Scotland, are reporting that cuts are already threatening services for Scots from the cradle to the grave," he claimed.

"And this is just the start of a sustained period of attacks on the public sector."

Unison's UK president Gerry Gallagher, STUC general secretary Grahame Smith and PCS Scottish president Janice Godrich were also involved in the protest yesterday.

Gallagher said: "Public services should not suffer because of the bank bailout. Our members didn't cause the crash and neither did the people we serve every day.

"Cuts will damage recovery from recession, cuts will hit public services we all depend on, cuts will threaten the wellbeing of our members and their families."

And he added: "It is the combined voice of public service workers and service users that need to be heard in corridors of power."

The marchers set off from Glasgow's Kelvin Way and walked through the West End before the rally in Kelvingrove Park.

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 public sector workers joined a protest in central London against potential cuts to the welfare state.

Pensioners, trade unionists, students and other campaigners, led by a brass band, brandished placards, and chanted "no ifs, no buts, no public sector cuts".