THE YS March for Jobs had a great weekend as it won massive support in Stafford and Stoke on Trent.
‘Whose hospital, our hospital!’ rang out on Saturday morning as the Young Socialists marchers, joined by Stafford Hospital occupiers, marched out of the camp set up to stop the closure of the Maternity and Paediatric services at the hospital and to demand the reinstatement of a 24-hour A&E.
The YS march from London to Liverpool was in its 12th day and the marchers were in a triumphant mood after staying at the occupaton camp overnight.
The extremely well organised occupation camp, now in its sixth week, had given the marchers the warmest of welcomes with a hot dinner at night and a full English breakfast from the camp’s fully-equipped kitchen and larder.
The camp has swelled to over 30 tents and even has a generator, lighting and toilet, everything supplied by the tremendous, continuous and growing support from the local community.
Local councillor and Unite shop steward Ravi Bhakhri said: ‘I have brought two big boxes of samosas especially for the YS march.
‘I support the YS march from London to Liverpool because I believe all youth have the right to work with decent pay and conditions.’
Mark Bergman, GMB organising officer at the Stafford office, brought a massive bag of supplies for the occupiers and marchers.
Bergman said: ‘Somebody has to do something about youth unemployment so I’ve come here to meet the YS marchers. I also support the occupation at Stafford Hospital.’
Richard Duffy from the occupation camp said: ‘We want a consultant-led maternity, the retention of essential services, overnight paediatric, and a reinstatement of our 24-hour A&E.
‘When we have achieved these things, the occupation will have achieved its goal. Good luck to your march and your lobby of the TUC.’
The marchers then completed the 21-mile journey to Hanley in Stoke, where they were greeted enthusiastically by two Labour councillors.
Shaun Pender, Stoke on Trent cabinet member for education and CWU member, told News Line: ‘We really support what the Young Socialists are doing.
‘We also believe that it’s massively important that young people have real educational opportunities and that they are not deterred by the prospect of a lifelong debt.
‘Young people also should have the right to employment opportunities offering them a decent standard of living.
‘Keep up the good work, keep raising the profile of the youth agenda and I would implore the labour and trade union movement to get behind these young people and help them make their very valid point.’
Duncan Walker, an ex-miner, councillor and GMB member, told the marchers: ‘This area used to be a big mining industry. The Tories decimated the lot.
‘We are still left with the legacy of that and we are left with pound shops, betting shops and pawn shops. I think that the TUC must give the Young Socialists a platform to speak at their Congress when you reach Liverpool. I believe that without a shadow of a doubt.’