Sharan Burrow is the President of the ITUC and ACTU, and will be addressing the Put People First rally on 28 March 2009 in Hyde Park. Here she talks about the need for governements to decisively act for a just way out of the financial crisis.
March 18th, 2009
We’re looking for people to use their mobile phones to report live from the event - and in the days running up to it. Follow the instructions below, and see how to take part.
A more detailed guide on how to get the best out of Twitter is online here.
March 17th, 2009
On Saturday 28 March, 2009, the Put People First demonstration will happen in London to challenge world leaders to put people first at the G20 meeting of world leaders on 2 April in London.
Baby Bloc is an informal and unofficial initiative to create an environment where parents interested in attending the demonstration can come together with their young children. It will be a good day out with like minded parents and lots of children to play together – all a few hundred metres from where the Put People First demonstration will converge in Hyde Park in the early afternoon. Read more…
March 17th, 2009
More and more details are being finalised for the march and rally on 28 March.
Our list of coaches planned is growing by the day – check it out for one of the easiest, cheapest and greenest ways to travel to the event. We’ve also got a growing list of local events happening in other parts of the country in the run up to the 28th – maybe there’s something near you. We’ve also got details of a special pre-march church service being organised by some of the Put People First organisations, for the morning of the 28th.
And we’re already looking at a great rally event in Hyde Park at the end of the march. Mauritanian musical legend Daby Toure and comedian and professional troublemaker Mark Thomas have confirmed they’ll be appearing on stage. Keep checking the site for information on more speakers and acts for the rally, as we can confirm them.
March 16th, 2009
Put People First T-shirts from Philosophy Football, now available
Platform member Philosophy Football has produced a special souvenir T-shirt for the Put People First march, available from www.philosophyfootball.com.
The ’Put People First’ T-shirt is of course made of Fairtrade and organic cotton, and comes in sizes S-XXL plus women’s ’skinny-rib’ with all profits to the campaign.
The T-shirt comes in at £14.99 and will be delivered to you within 48 hours, so you’ll have it in good time for when messrs Obama, Merkel, Sarkozy are in town.
Also Available: bulk orders with trade union/campaign logo added to shirt. Email admin@philosophyfootball.com for details and quotes.
Put People First back
Put People First T-shirt
March 16th, 2009
The word ‘recession’ has an essentially negative quality, defined as ‘the act of withdrawing or going back’. As an idea it goes against our western sensibilities of linear progress.
In its purely economic meaning, recession is described as ‘an extended decline in general business activity’. The current decline seems set to last for the foreseeable future. Despite earlier optimistic predictions, the Bank of England has stopped taking bets on an upswing in the economy until at least mid-2010.
As the recession unfolds, I find myself less and less interested in the blame game that has gripped the media. What interests me more is the economics equivalent of the ‘science vs religion’ debate: we may know how the current situation arose and have our opinions on who is to blame, but do we really understand why? Read more…
March 16th, 2009
There will be lots of music on the day ranging from brass bands to samba, and London’s KaraUke ukulele group are inviting any ukulele players to join them on the march to form a Put People First giant ukulele ensemble.
Just turn up with your uke and listen out for your fellow four stringers. Read more…
March 16th, 2009
Car magnate Henry Ford once said “it is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning”.
Today, as people begin to understand just how our global economy is structured and who benefits from that structure, it’s little wonder that anger is welling across the world. Read more…
March 16th, 2009
March 13th, 2009
Responding to comments by Barack Obama’s spokesperson today (Friday) on the prospects of an agreement at the London G20 summit, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
‘The G20 cannot be just another talking shop. We need real progress on tackling the recession and on making the world a fairer and a greener place.
‘This makes the Put People First march in London on the Saturday before the summit even more important as a way of putting pressure on world leaders to agree a programme of radical action.’
March 13th, 2009
