Students to Join Unions in March on Tory Conference

When the Tories arrive in Manchester for their annual conference this weekend they are expecting the anger of trades unionists protesting over pension cuts. They know there are many trade unionists opposed to their cuts and closures of services.

They now face protests from the students.

A student 'feeder' march will leave University Place, and meet the TUC 'March for an Alternative' on Deansgate, where students are set to join their teachers to form a lively education bloc on the demonstration.

Jamil Keating, a 17 years old college student from Rusholme, Manchester will be marching. He will also speak on the TUC Rally stage at the end of the March, at No 1 First Street.

'I was raised in Ardwick by my mum. She was a youth worker - but no longer as the youth clubs have all been shut. She is still a family care support worker at Sure Start - but next year that is being cut. I used to get EMA to help me survive - I am losing that now. The Contact Young Actors Company where I have performed is also facing budget cuts. I am struggling with plans for future now because of the raised tuition fees. Every door is being closed in the face of young people today. It's not fair! But we are doing something about it! Students have so many reasons to be marching against the Tories.' Jamil Keating, FE College student.

Sean Rillo Raczka is the University of London Union Vice President and EAN activist. He will be marching in  Manchester 'to show opposition to this illegitimate Conservative government. They are attacking students, workers, the unemployed, pensioners and disabled people. Now is the time for us all to stand up together against ideological right wing attacks on us and our public services. Students will be standing with the trade unions in their struggles'.

At the students' opening rally at University Place at 11.30am Jane Warburton, regional youth leader of the PCS union, will bring support to the students from the trades unions. 'The Tories are not welcome in Manchester. They have made too many cuts to our public services. There is an alternative to the cuts - making the tax gap smaller. We need our public services. We will be marching together on Sunday'.

The student march has been organised by the Manchester Education Activist Network (EAN) which brings students and those working in the education sector together. EAN called many of the student protests over tuition fees last year. This year the fight is over university funding.

"The Tories are launching the biggest assault on university education that we have ever seen. This is reason enough to be marching on Sunday" says James Haywood, of the Education Activist Network.

Most of those protesting will be from Manchester and the North West, but coaches will bring students from London and Oxford.

'I will be there on the day that thousands of Tories gather in Manchester, to make a stand against their attacks on society. At party conference the Tories will slap themselves on the back and prepare another wave of assaults on the public sector so many depend on. Their triumphalism has to be broken by strong mobilisations against them wherever they appear, until they are driven from government.' Nathan Akehurst, Oxford student and EAN.

'I will be demonstrating in Manchester to oppose the Tories while they plan their next wave of attacks on public services. We need to argue that there is an alternative to cuts: make the bankers pay for the crisis that they caused. We need to fight for this and the demo in Manchester is the first step in resisting cuts this term', Jamie Woodcock, PhD student at Goldmiths College, London.

There is no divide between students and workers - both care about pensions. 
 
'The largest age group of unemployed are below 25 and attacks on pensions could see my generation work until the grave. Students and workers need to unite and fight, because together we can bring down this coalition of cutters'. Samir Hinks, former Bury College student, now studying at University.

Feeder March on Tory Party Conference:

Assemble from 11am at University Place. M13 9PL
Education rally 11.30am - 12.15 pm.
Followed by a march to join the TUC demonstration.  

Called by Manchester Education Activist Network. Supported by: Manchester University Student Union, Manchester Against Fees and Cuts, Manchester Metropolitan EAN, MMUnion, Salford Uni Against Cuts, Xavarian College Students Against Cuts, Bury College Students Against Cuts, Manchester Socialist Workers Party, Occupy! Manchester.

Student coaches drop off point near University Place: Booth St West. 
Student coach pick up points near No 1 First St: Medlock St.


Mark Bergfeld
Education Activist Network
07545488417
educationactivist@gmail.com
mark.bergfeld@nus.org.uk

Demo in Manchester on 5th March

Manchester Education Activist Network and the Manchester Coalition Against Cuts have called a demo against the Government's attack on education and the public sector. The Demo will be in Manchester on Saturday 5th March. Please come to the public organising meeting for the Demo on Tuesday 22nd February at 7.00pm in Friends Meeting House, Mount Street, Manchester M2 5NS. What parliament does, the streets can undo,We will make our collective voice heard on the 5th March in Central Manchester,  and we will continue to build momentum for the National TUC Demo in London on 26th March.

educational spaces of alterity: A one day event 26th April Nottingham University

http://nottinghamcriticalpedagogy.wordpress.com/educational-spaces-of-alterity/

Meeting Tonight at 7.00pm in Subway

HI all hope to see you tonight to discuss the launch event on 9th February. Also have a look at this.....
http://noinstitute.wordpress.com/reading/

Planning Meetings - change of date

Greater Manchester Education Activist Network Meetings will now take place on the first and third Tuesday of every month, at 7.00pm in Subway on Peter Street, Manchester M2 3NG.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 1st February, where we'll have a report-back on the march and rally taking place this Saturday 29th January, and be planning for our public launch rally which is due to take place on Wednesday 9th February.

Hope to see you on the march tomorrow, and if not, then on Tuesday.

Solidarity,

Suzy and Rick
Co-convenors, GM EAN

13th December GMEAN Meeting Flyer

DAY X IS THURSDAY - WEDNESDAY NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION

2 DAYS OF ACTION THIS WEEK UNITING STUDENTS, LECTURERS AND ALL CONCERNED WITH ATTACKS ON EDUCATION:
At a 200 strong assembly against the cuts at the Roscoe occupation yesterday people voted to call for two days of protests.  


WEDNESDAY - GREATER MANCHESTER DAY OF ACTION
Student groups across Greater Manchester are set to unite for a march  to Piccadilly Gardens and will assemble at 11:30 at University Place, Oxofrd Road (see below for different meeting points across the city for a joint march to a rally at Piccadilly Gardens  starting at 1pm). Piccadilly Gardens was chosen so we could call on people working in Manchester to come out at 1pm and join us for a rally:


Manchester University Assembly Point:
University Place 11:30 [To march at 12pm to Piccadilly Gardens for 1pm].
MMU Assembly Point:
All Saints Park 12:00 [To meet the MU students and march to Piccadilly Gardens].
Salford Uni Assembly Point:
University House 11:30 [To take the train to Oxford Road Station and meet the Manchester students on Oxford Road and join the march to Piccadilly Gardens. Alternatively Salford students can meet at MMU]
All other students and those interested should meet at University Place or All Saints Park, Oxford Road.




DAY X THURSDAY - LONDON
March on Parliament: Assemble 12 noon ULU, Malet Street, London
For travel details call: 07821692125


From Roscoe occupation:
On Thursday parliament will be voting so we plan to send as many people as possible down to London to join the protests against the cuts.  Tickets are now on sale from UMSU for £10 for the first 100 man uni students and £24 after that.   We are putting out a call for donations to cover the cost of sending more people down especially for college students who may be unable to afford the full.  Bolton Unison have already pledged £200 for the campaign.  If you or your organisation can buy some seats for college students be very useful each seat costs £24.  We are also sending mini buses down the night before for people who want to meet their MP just before the vote contact the UMSU campaigns officer for more info on this.


http://anticuts.com/category/events/