Led off by the Guarana Drummers, the march was both
colourful and noisy as banners and placards were held aloft and marchers moved
to the beat of the drums. Passersby stopped to watch, wave and to take photos,
and to show their support for the marchers. Somewhere along the route, the sun
came out and the weather stayed fine and Springlike as marchers gathered for an
outdoor rally at the Castlegate.
For more photos go to the ATUC Facebook page
For more photos go to the ATUC Facebook page
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| Kate Ramsden |
Remembering the Nepal
earthquake victims and our own Hilda Meers
Compering the Rally, ATUC Vice-President, Kate Ramsden told
marchers that the trade union movement has a proud tradition of standing up for
equality, social justice and for the rights of ordinary people.
Kate said, “I am proud to stand with you all today. We are
here to oppose austerity, the austerity which has pushed so many people into
poverty whilst the rich amass more and more of the country’s wealth.
“In one of the richest countries in the Western World the money
is there, it’s just in the wrong hands,” slammed Kate, urging people to vote
the Tories out at the election next week.
Kate called for a minutes silence in memory of all those who
had lost their lives, homes or family members in the terrible earthquake in
Nepal, which had happened just a week ago. And also for Hilda Meers, peace
activist, political campaigner and friend of the ATUC, who died recently and
who will be sadly missed.
 |
| Barney Crockett |
Labour councillor Barnet Crockett thanked the Aberdeen
Trades Union Council for organising the march and rally and commended all those
who had come along for their tireless work to oppose austerity and to fight for
the rights of workers, here and around the world.
“We have a proud history of international solidarity in Aberdeen
and Aberdeenshire and we need to keep these links strong."
He condemned the policies of this government which have attacked the poorest and most vulnerable and have undermined workers' rights and urged us to continue the fight against the unnecessary austerity that the Tories have imposed.
Solidarity against bigotry and racism
Amanda from Aberdeen Anti-fascist Alliance ((AAA) warned us
that when people suffer the ordeals of austerity many will look for someone to
blame. “Let’s never forget that it is the bankers, the bosses and government
cuts that brought austerity, not migrants.”He condemned the policies of this government which have attacked the poorest and most vulnerable and have undermined workers' rights and urged us to continue the fight against the unnecessary austerity that the Tories have imposed.
Solidarity against bigotry and racism
 |
| Amanda |
She exploded the myth that migrants take our jobs and reduce
wages. 85% of new hires are British and research has shown NO impact on wages.
She warned that UKIP and the National Front are the two main
threats locally in this General Election and AAA are campaigning hard to make
sure that racism doesn’t divide our communities.
Amanda called on us all to challenge their bigotry and
racism and “unite in solidarity to show that these prejudices have no place in
Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire.”
 |
| Sam Lowit |
Stand up against TTIP
or lose our hard won rights
Sam Lowit from Aberdeen Against TTIP warned of the terrible
consequences if CETA (the comprehensive economic and trade deal) and TTIP (the
transatlantic trade and investment partnership) is ratified.
“These two deals will give faceless global corporations the
power to sue our governments in secret courts with judges of their own choice
often on their own payroll.
“CETA and TTIP will make all privatisation irreversible by
law and will open up things like the Scottish NHS to privatisation regardless
of whether or not any party in Scotland pursues this as a policy.”
But the worst bit is the Investor State Dispute Settlement
(ISDS) – a separate, secret legal system that will operate above the sovereign
rule of law and allow Companies to sue the government for anything, warned Sam.
“CETA and TTIP threaten our daily lives from the safety of
the food we put in our mouths to protection at work.
“Looking at how far the trade union movement has come in the
last one and a half centuries; looking at all that we, the people have won –
our welfare state, our NHS, our labour rights, we must stand up now as one and
say NO!” said Sam. “We must say to our governments, these things are not for
sale and no, we’re not going to give them back!”
 |
| Lewis Macdonald |
Let's get the change this country needs
Lewis Macdonald, MSP welcomed the opportunity to speak "at such an important time, only a few days away from an election when there is an opportunity to elect a Labour government and bring to an end five years of Tory rule."
He reminded us that the coming election matters a great deal to us all, and hoped that by the end of the week we will have seen the change the country needs.
He commended the trade unions for their campaign against TTIP and echoed Sam’s call for us to keep up the pressure to defeat TTIP and CETA.
"That is a particularly strong message here in Aberdeen. This city has the highest proportion of people born outwith the United Kingdom who have come here of any place in Scotland. Look at Aberdeen and see if ethnic diversity means a failing economy; it is obvious the opposite is true.
End the Israeli slaughter of the Palestinian working class
Issam Hijjawi from the Association of Palestinians in Scotland, spoke of the terrible oppression that the Palestinian people are living under in the occupied territories.
 |
| Issam Hijjawi |
Issam said, “The Palestinian working class is under
slaughter from the Israeli Government – the slaughter of Palestinian people
going to their work; forced off their own land to be refugees and work in the
settlements”, alongside the terrible slaughter in Gaza last summer.
He thanked the people of Scotland for their support and
solidarity but still the suffering and oppression of the Palestinian people
continues and we must keep up the fight to end this and to hold the Israeli
government to account for their actions.
We must never forget
the sacrifices of so many
Speaking for the Aberdeen Trades Union Council, Tommy
Campbell reminded us that our working class’s history has a lot to teach us about
the roots of our socialist radicalism and militant trade unionism.  |
| Tommy Campbell |
He began by reading a poem by Trevor Raybould.
Chisels and Blades
Pay was frozen as the ground beneath the boots On winter sites; whilst bosses strolled
Some distant shore where scrooge-like days
Squeezed endless gold from an ever-willing sun.
And now we queue to scribble twice each month....
Somewhere cardboard eiderdowns are clutched
And the chisels and blades do rust.
“We today salute those brave men and women and children who have fought and continue to fight against all kinds of oppression around the world,” said Tommy reminding us of the many thousands of trade unionists, community activists and radical campaigners murdered every year in other countries around the world for no other reason but for standing up and fighting for their democratic rights.
“We understand that here in Scotland our current situation
cannot be taken for granted – people fought for the limited democratic rights
and dignities we enjoy today, and there is still a lot more to fight for.
“The sacrifices of so many people cannot be forgotten or
we’ll end up fighting for those same gains all over again.
“This is why we celebrate International Workers’ Day. NO
PASARAN!!!”
 |
| Renee Slater |
Echoing Tommy’s message, Renee’s read,
“Much solidarity from
Aberdeen Festival Of Politics and thank you for your continued support! It is
important we recognise the struggle that working people and trade unions have
gone through over many years to ensure we have the working conditions we have
now.
“These conditions are
being eroded day by day by an unfeeling and unconcerned Tory/LibDem coalition!
Whatever the outcome of the 2015 election, Scottish workers must recognise they
are part of an international fight against corporate exploitation. The fight
will continue and our trade union & working class history will show the
way!
 |
| Ian Tasker |
Vote the Tories out!
Ian Tasker of the STUC ended the Rally with a call to get
rid of this UK Tory government at next week’s election.
“They say they are the party of working people. Well here’s
what they’ve done for working class people” said Ian, highlighting food poverty
with a rise in Trussel Trust foodbanks from 90 to 445 since 2010; the bedroom
tax, leading to the eviction of the most vulnerable; benefits changes for
disabled people – “a stressful process made worse by government incompetence.”
He also condemned Tory attacks on workers’ rights with
attacks on health and safety law, employment tribunals and unfair dismissal
legislation.
“The Conservatives are not, and never will be a party of
working people. They will never be a party of social justice.
“They want to keep the wealth for their own, to restrict
opportunities to their own, and they want their own to enjoy privilege at the
expense of the rest of us,” slammed Ian. “They need to go!”
More pics from the march and rally
Thanks to Tommy Campbell and Morag Lawrence for these photos and to Colin Jones for the photos on Facebook
More pics from the march and rally
Thanks to Tommy Campbell and Morag Lawrence for these photos and to Colin Jones for the photos on Facebook
