Public and Commercial Services Union

The march, organised by Youth fight for jobs, was supported by PCS as well as other unions including RMT, CWU, UCU, UNITE and FBU and is to highlight youth unemployment.
 
PCS had 3 speakers on the platform -
 

• Fran Heathcote - PCS Northern region vice chair said "her union was proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone who is prepared to send a clear message that we are sick of working people, the poor and the unemployed being asked to pay for the crisis created by the bankers and the super-rich". Fran said that is why she would be marching alongside the Jarrow marchers on the first day and urged all PCS members to support the march in whatever way they could.
• Kevin McHugh - PCS national executive committee (NEC) member brought a message of solidarity from the PCS NEC and particularly Mark Serwotka, general secretary. Kevin talked about the alternative to the cuts and importance of joining together for action on 30 November.
• Val Birks, a PCS branch secretary working in Jarrow raised the importance of young people being able to get jobs, and talked about her own children and the difficulties they'd had in finding employment.

 
Messages of support were sent from Janice Godrich, PCS national president and Land Registry Birkenhead branch.
 
Nine PCS reps then joined the Jarrow marches for the first stage of the march - over 10 miles from Jarrow to Birtley where they were met by the workers of AEI Cables. These workers were made redundant with one minutes notice, some after over 40 years service.
 
PCS reps and members will be supporting the Jarrow marchers all the way down the country on their over 300 mile journey to London ending on 5th November.