YOUTH from Northampton joined the Young Socialists March for Jobs as they made their way through the town centre yesterday morning on their way out to Rugby.
Day six of the 248-mile march from London to the TUC Congress in Liverpool saw big support from passing motorists while all those out on the streets on Sunday morning cheered as the marchers passed.
Josh, who joined the march, said: ‘I’m also going to join the lobby of the TUC on Sunday 7th Septmber to demand the TUC call a general strike to bring the government down.
‘I’m going to create a night every two weeks to get all the young people of the town together and organise a branch of the Young Socialists in Northampton.
‘Young people realise that university and college isn’t free and must be. This government is rubbish and should be put in the bin.
‘There is a big problem of youth homelessness in Northampton. The council budgets have been cut by central government, there is not enough council housing and the bus fares are going up every month.
‘When society is run by the working class, then we will have a government that understands what is needed and will help.’
His friend Sophie added: ‘I’m also coming to the lobby of the TUC. I woke up at 7.30am to meet the marchers as they left for Rugby and marched with them. My older brother who is 19 found it really hard to find the money for university.
‘He was looking everywhere for a job to pay for his university fees. Part of the point of this march is to meet people and gain new recruits from the community for what we want to do. And we’re going to set up a branch of the YS in Northampton.
‘What David Cameron is doing is wrong, the future for young people needs to be sorted out so that we know how we are going to live.’
Jen Tasker said: ‘I work as a support worker and a couple of the service users have been offered “work experience” where they are basically working for free. They are working and are busy all the time and then there is no job at the end of it.
‘They are vulnerable people and they are being taken advantage of. It’s just free labour and I am outraged!
‘They should have the experience of being paid. As part of their rehabilitation, we are supporting them to be independent and get their own flats. If they are trained to be used to working for free, when they go into the community they see that as normal and that’s not right.
‘So that’s why I support the March for Jobs from London to Liverpool and will join in the lobby of the TUC Congress to demand a general strike.’
