Socialist Students took part in the Youth March for Jobs in Leeds on 9th of October.
The demonstration and march, attended by some 50 people, included impassioned speeches from representatives of NHS workers say no, the Socialist Party, and members of Socialist Students of Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, and York, with a particularly poignant speech from one of our York 6th form members highlighting the failures of our education system.
As one student put it “We’re made to chase league tables, get the top grades, get a degree (and a masters), then end up in Pret on £8 an hour?”
After marching through the city centre, the protest ended with a rousing call to action from the general secretary of BWAFU, Sarah Woolley; stating the need to take the fight to the Tories.
As the youth unemployment rate reaches 13%, with most young people forced into zero-hour hospitality jobs, one attendee said of this, “these jobs require emotional labour, as someone who struggles to even look people in the eye, what can I do?”.
The fight for better jobs, better pay, and the education to achieve those, is not being led by the Labour party. As enmity towards Keir Starmer grows, it’s up to us to lead, and to make these ideas a reality.
Anthony Bracuti, Leeds Uni Socialist Students
Leeds Socialist Students 