Action is needed to stop unemployment slide

Mar 29 2009 by William Green, Sunday Sun

MASS unemployment will devastate the North if Gordon Brown and global leaders fail to stop a depression, union leaders warned yesterday.

Bob Crow, RMT rail union general secretary, said there were no “hiding corners” for any industry apart from bailiffs and pawn brokers.

And he slammed the bailout for bank fat cats, warning it was not helping the working man and woman in the North and across the country.

TUC boss Brendan Barber warned the region faces even more damage from the recession unless the leaders of the world’s 20 richest nations meeting in London this week launch a coordinated package to stop the economy sliding further.

The union chiefs spoke exclusively to the Sunday Sun during a huge march for “jobs, justice and climate” ahead of the G20 summit in London.

Thousands of police from six forces were drafted in to the capital to assist the Metropolitan Police. Waving flags and placards, protesters – estimated by police at up to 35,000 – moved past the capital's landmarks in a carnival-like atmosphere before congregating in Hyde Park for a series of speeches.

The Put People First march – featuring an alliance of 150 groups, including unions, charities, environmental campaigners and faith organisations – comes amid anger at the £19 million cost of staging the conference at a time of economic downturn.

TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: “The North East risks being hit even more damagingly by this recession if we don’t see action to begin to lift our economy to begin to provide jobs again.

“And to do that we need our Government to act, but we need other major Governments to act too.”