Scottish Development another powerful argument for a fightback on jobs. The report disclosed that the number of Scottish workers made redundant in the past year had increased by a massive 63 per cent.
Other evidence points in the same direction. At the end of October the research department of the white collar union ASEMS predicted that by the time of the next election there will 5.5m jobless.
If these gloomy forecasts are accurate it chose on the Jobs Express, WITO will be hit hardest.
But there is nothing inAgency provided evitable about the rise in unemployment. It will on ly occur il the bosses and the Tory government are allowed to get away with How can they be stopbed? By itself, the Jobs which ends journey in London this weekend, will not stop the What b-cuting policies. also needed is a campaign of action, the strength of which will force the johs battle into the centre of the political stage.
Part of such a campaign would be mobilising support tor nose who are already fighting against the sack. Ăt present, the best example is the workers at Laurence Scott In Manchester who, for the COSE SEVEE months, have been on strike against the closure of their lactory.
Sadly, the strikers are having to take on not just their bosses but the leaders of the engineering who have refused to back their members' jobs fight. WORKERS at Laurence Scott Engineering have Until the union Icaders Laurence Scott unempiovment protest. they do support - such as the Jobs Express - will be seen as no more than token protests.
Jobs battles like that at Laurence can be won. There is the example Bristol of the magnificent victory achieved at the Lee Jeans factory 1C.I Glasgow where a long occupation ended with the closure threat being lifted.
The Lee Jeans fight involved women workers, them young women. And the fight for a woman's right to work is Lobby of Parliament another campaign that is an essential part jobs battle.
The Labour Party has called a demonstration for carly in the New Year on this theme. Following the "Woman's Right to Work DEST CHE ICAL HELORE mobilisation which needs to built if the fight against Newcastle Festival First ring top road barte March and Rally the dole queue is to be taken forward In the meantime, march with those on the Jobs Express this Sunday Assemble Speakers Corner, Hyde Park at 11pm. And on Monday join the lobby of parliament outside the House of Commons at 2pm.
----- pull-quotes -----
WHEN the Jobs Express was speeding through Scotland on Monday, a report issued by the
Socialist Challenge
27 November •London
24 November Manchester -6 Sheffield 25 November •Birmingham Swansea November
23 Novembe •Edinburgh • Glasgow Liverpool Jobs for Youth