Rain, drizzle, hail… nothing could dampen the enthusiasm of the estimated ten thousand who marched through the centre of London in support of the industrial action being taken by the teachers’ union the NUT today. This is the first national strike by teachers for over a generation. They were joined by members of the public sector union PCS and the lecturers union UCU who are also taking  24 hour strike action in what is intended as a unified show of force.

It is believed that the teachers’ strike has nationally affected over 8,000 schools and 2.5 million pupils as teachers seek to win a 4.1% claim.  The marchers assembled at Lincoln Inn’s Field at 11.00 where they were greeted by a speedily arranged concert from none other than Billy Bragg. After this they headed off down to the Strand to march to a mass rally at Central Hall, Westminster. Despite the weather shifting backwards and forwards between rain and sun, the marchers kept going singing songs and chanting demands for a fair deal. Even the arrival of a hailstorm didn’t deter the marchers who filled the Westminster Hall to overflowing to hear speeches from Christine Blower, Acting General Secretary, NUT (who has stepped in following the untimely death of Steve Sinnott), Sally Hunt, General Secretary, UCU and Mark Serwotka, PCS General Secretary. Rallies and meetings have also been called in over 50 other locations throughout the country. Socialist Appeal’s were sold both on the London demo and at other events and copies of the special leaflet called in support of unified action across the whole public sector were also handed out.

Billy Bragg was there to support the action!
Here are the lyrics to the song he sang!

There Is Power In A Union

There is power in a factory, power in the land
Power in the hand of the worker
But it all amounts to nothing if together we don't stand
There is power in a Union

Now the lessons of the past were all learned with workers blood
The mistakes of the bosses we must pay for
From the cities and the farmlands to trenches full of mud
War has always been the bosses way, sir

Billy Brag

The Union forever,defending our rights
Down with the blackleg,all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters from many far-off lands
There is power in a Union

Now I long for the morning that they realise
Brutality and unjust laws cannot defeat us
But who'll defend the workers who cannot organise
When the bosses send their lackeys out to cheat us?

Money speaks for money,the Devil for his own
Who comes to speak for the skin and the bone?
What a comfort for the widow,a light to the child
There is power in a Union

The Union forever,defending our rights
Down with the blackleg,all workers unite
With our brothers and our sisters together we will stand
There is power in a Union  

(Joe Hill, 1913)