Briefer

Waiting for kick-off.

My brief briefing (all jokes in black ink)

I’m going to speak briefly about the march for public services on 26 March.

You’ve all seen the posters around the building. The poster clearly conveys the message behind March 26 and I quote “Savage cuts to public spending are not inevitable”

The TUC are calling the event on March 26 – The March for the Alternative.
This is appropriate as the central message of our campaign is that there is an alternative to the swinging cuts which are being promoted by the right wing media as a Fait Accompli – that’s French for an accomplished fact or a thing already done.

The Million Voices campaign is about raising awareness of the value of our members’ jobs, highlighting the impact of the cuts on vulnerable groups.

We can do this by engaging with the general public to make the case for public services as the essential foundation of a prosperous economy and a fair society.

This is why it is vital to make the march on the 26th a success.

Many of you have volunteered to be stewards on the day (more of that later) but you can still play a role even if you are not a steward.

I know that many colleagues were unable to volunteer to steward, but still intend being at the event, marching with their families and friends and members of their communities. The Million Voices Campaign is all about forming alliances with the communities that use and depend on public services to form our own coalition to oppose government policy.

So please, if you can march, please come down to the Embankment on Saturday 26 March and bring as many people as you can with you.

You should aim to get down there for 11.00am as the march moves off at 12.00am.

The march will head to Hyde Park where a rally will start at 1.30pm. The event should finish at 4.00pm.

I guarantee it will be a fun day – certainly you will have more fun than I did yesterday at Wembley watching Arsenal lose.

I’d now like to move on to stewards.

We have had a fantastic response. Thanks to everyone who has volunteered.
I just want to stress that on the 26th you will be stewards not police officers.

Your primary role is to keep people on the march moving and be able to assist with general enquiries from the public.

I can assure you that the organisers of the event have been working closely with the Police to ensure that this will be a family friendly event. For example I have a meeting with senior Police Officers at New Scotland Yard on Thursday.

Stewarding on the day will be important as we are expecting large numbers. For example we alone have 303 coaches bringing members to London.

We have 120 stewards not including our colleagues who are travelling down with regional coaches.

I’d just like to give you an idea of what stewards will be doing on the day.

31 of the stewards have been identified as senior stewards. These will be working directly with the TUC on the day. The Senior Stewards will be attending briefing sessions organised by the TUC on March 9 and 21, I’ve already contacted senior stewards concerning their preferred dates.

Our Senior Stewards have been given the specific task of being responsible with TUC colleagues for the forming up of the march along Embankment. Senior Stewards need to report for duty at 8.00am.

As explained the march will be forming up along Embankment with the head of the march at Hungerford Bridge stretching back as far as Blackfriars Bridge.
After our duties on Embankment are complete we will follow up the rear of the march into Hyde Park where we may be allocated general duties for the remainder of the rally.

The rest of the stewards will be doing an equally important job.

They will be route stewards which primarily involves marching alongside our delegation.

On the day Lucille will be the lead steward and will be responsible for allocating specific duties.

The route stewards do not need to attend any briefings. A stewards guide will be produced and distributed to our stewards. As well as general information, the guide will contain information specific to the event on March 26.

For example:

The route

Timings

Arrangements for lost children

Location of toilets and first aid

Contact numbers.

You will be proudly wearing your uniform of yellow tabards. Although there may be some orange ones as well. For those of you who like to keep up with tabard developments, we will gradually be introducing over the coming months a move to orange tabards to avoid confusion with the emergency services. Basically orange is the new yellow

If you haven’t a tabard, please pick one up as you leave.

Senior stewards do not need to pick one up, they will be issued with pink tabards at the TUC briefing.

As explained the route stewards will be moving along with the march. However, along the route, there will be senior stewards in static posts. If you encounter any problems the senior stewards are there to assist.

When the route stewards get to the rally, you are free to mingle with the crowds and listen to Dave speak.

There is another important job for route stewards to do on the day.

We want to have a bold, visible and yes noisy presence on the day.

Materials will be delivered by van to a site at the rear of Temple tube station at 8.00am before roads are closed to traffic at 9.00am.

There will be a communications team but they will need help transferring the materials from the van to the assembly point on Embankment.

Therefore we need all stewards to report to Temple Place at the rear of Temple Tube station at 8.00am.

You will understand why we need your help when I give you an idea of the amount of materials we are bringing to the march.

6,000 tabards

3,000 ponchos in case it rains

3,000 beanie hats in case its cold

3,000 baseball caps if its hot

500 flags

6,000 hand flags

And to make a bit of noise:

2,000 thunder sticks

2,000 whistles

And 4,000 vu vu zelas

We may also bring one or two placards.

Its going to be a long day and I do care about your welfare.

So please make sure you bring a bottle of water and something to eat as well as the obligatory comfy shoes.

There will be food outlets when we get to Hyde Park selling a delicious array of fine foods.

I know that with your help we will make March 26 a success.

You will enable our members and the general public to send a clear message to the government that the savage spending cuts are unnecessary and unfair.

We will be marching to defend hospitals, schools, libraries and other public services from the Government’s programme of cuts and privatisation.
We will also be standing up for public service jobs and pensions.

The march will let people tell the government how they feel – that cuts are not inevitable – they are a political choice.

Now you know I always like to share with you the latest inventions created by our boffins to help us in our fight to defend public services.

In October I showed you the kagol, now I am proud to present the vu vu zela.

I hope to see everyone on Saturday 26th March – either as a steward or marching.

Thank you and .....BOOM you're back in the room.