A placard reads "I'm in my dream job and I still can't afford to live"

In photos: thousands march for striking workers

Thousands took to the streets on February 1 in support of striking workers from the National Education Union (NEU), Universities and Colleges Union (UCU), the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the RMT and Aslef.

The strikes share central issues of pay and conditions; all unions are fighting for inflation matching pay rises. Across all industries there is anger at the effect that over a decade of cuts in funding has had on essential public services.

Teachers at the march spoke of school falling to pieces without money for repairs, the UCU is seeing talented people leave the profession due to low pay and job insecurity, and the PCS has suffered a ‘relentless assault on living standard,’ according to vice-president Hannah David.

Around three thousand people joined the march in Bristol as 500,000 people across the country walked out of their workplaces on strike.

Read more: Unions unite for strike march

All photos: Wong Yat Him

A long distance photo shows a large crowd of thousands of people.
A man holds a megaphone to his lips. Behind him is a crowd of people.
A person holds up a placard that reads "They've cut my pay by 25% since 2009"
Four women walk together. One furthest from the camera wears a pointed cone-shaped hat with the word "dunce" written on it. Closer to the camera, one woman takes a selfie with another woman who holds a placard reading "fund our future". They are smiling.
Two people pose with placards. One reads "Rishi made me do it!" and the other "£0+£0 = no more teachers"
A photo of a crowd on the march taken from above. Some members of the crowd look up to the camera.
A placard reads "I'm in my dream job and I still can't afford to live"
A heart-shaped placard reads "Your children deserve better"

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