On Saturday 20 October the TUC and Scottish TUC are gearing up for national marches and rallies to be held in London and Glasgow in protest at the policies that have plunged the UK into economic stagnation.

Prospect is urging members across the union to support the demonstrations, being held under the banner of ‘A Future that Works’.

Full details of the London march can be found on the TUC’s special website at www.afuturethatworks.org.uk This includes information on the march itself, background briefing documents and how to access travel arrangements.

Arrangements for Glasgow are being made by the Scottish TUC and details will be notified via their website www.stuc.org.uk

In a message to branches, general secretary Paul Noon said Prospect members had turned out in large numbers for the March for the Alternative in March 2011.

“I hope even more can attend this October,” he said. “We are calling for investment in jobs, skills and economic growth before it’s too late, as well as our ongoing call to defend quality public services.

“Members in the private sector have seen the impact of cuts to public sector procurement, resulting in job losses in many of our industries.

“Private and public sector employees are feeling the squeeze on their living standards like never before. And the government is looking to legislate to make it easier to sack staff, limit access to employment tribunals and facilitate redundancies.”

The October rallies are part of a nationwide programme of events designed to raise the pressure on government to change course. These include the recent TUC anti-austerity conference, the PayFair campaign against local and regional pay, and continuing campaigns to defend the NHS, support a financial transaction tax and reduce youth unemployment.

Prospect will help with coach hire costs from branches and workplaces where numbers make it viable. Alternatively, where other unions have booked coaches or trains, these will be advertised on the TUC website and via the False Economy site at http://falseeconomy.org.uk/oct20.

If you plan to attend, please email [email protected] so that Prospect has some idea of the numbers attending.

More information will be issued as arrangements for the marches develop. In the meantime, any queries should be addressed to [email protected]