A Labour movement demonstration for Ukraine organised by the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign will be held in London on Saturday 9 April.
The event was called for by the civil servants’ union, PCS, and is supported by the GMB, the National Union of Mineworkers and the University and College Union, among others.
Trade unionists are asked to assemble with their banners and placards at Parliament Square in Westminster at 12 noon followed by a rally at Downing Street.
Many unions have signed up to a statement of solidarity with Ukraine – ‘Unions stand with Ukraine’ – which condemns the Russian invasion and sends “solidarity to the trade unionists of Ukraine who have been engaged in humanitarian assistance and resistance to the invasion”.
The full statement reads:
UNIONS STAND WITH UKRAINE
We condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and call for an immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian troops from all of Ukraine.
The Russian government’s violence has caused thousands of Ukrainian deaths and forced millions to flee their homes. We stand with the people of Ukraine in this time of their suffering.
As a trade union movement, we call for a just peace. We urge all governments to reach a negotiated solution.
We send solidarity to the trade unionists of Ukraine who have been engaged in humanitarian assistance and resistance to the invasion.
We will support in whatever way we can the brave people demonstrating in Russia for an end to the war.
We call on the UK government to welcome refugees seeking to come to the UK without imposing any restrictions.
To protest against the Russian invasion and show our solidarity with the people of Ukraine – jointly with Ukrainian trade unions – we are supporting a demonstration – Unions stand with Ukraine.
We urge all trade unionists, all working people, and Ukrainians who live and work in the UK to join with us.
The USC have also produced a powerful video about the demonstration which you can see on their Facebook page.
More about the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign is here and you can follow them on Twitter here.
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