Our workers rights are under attack again. And we must come together to make our voices heard.
Forty years ago – on 25th Jan 1984 - Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government attacked trade union rights at GCHQ in Cheltenham. Union members were told to resign their membership or be sacked. After a long campaign marked by the fortitude of the workers and their families, and the solidarity of the whole movement, they were reinstated when an incoming Labour government repealed the ban.
Today, the government has passed laws that could restrict the right to strike for over five million workers. We must defend it at all costs.
We must come together to resist these attacks. Join us as we return to Cheltenham to make our voices heard. To celebrate our history, protest against the government, and stand up for our rights.
We have won before. We will win again. Join the march and rally on 27 January
Contact cmcgurran@tuc.org.uk if you’d like us to post some leaflets or posters to you.
The TUC is supporting this march and rally, which is organised by PCS South West.
For more information on materials, form up order and the latest updates, take a look here.
Getting to Cheltenham
Cheltenham is a very well-connected town, with frequent train services to all major UK cities, an extensive bus network, good road and motorway links.
Train
Train connections are excellent from across the UK to Cheltenham Spa station. The station is served by approximately 8 to 12 trains every hour during Mondays to Saturdays although it is always best to check live timetables for up-to-date information. Use the National Rail website for live timetables and to see a full overview of the station's facilities.
Cheltenham train station is a two platform station, with road-side exits on both sides. A short walk from your platform to the main entrance, finds you at the Bus Station and the Taxi rank.
Buses and coaches
Contact your union branch or local trades council to see if they are planning to run a coach to Cheltenham.
If you are organising a coach to Cheltenham, please note that coaches can drop off at Royal Well Bus Station. Coaches can then park up at Kingsville Road, Kingsditch Trading Estate, GL51 9NZ during the march and rally. If you are organising a coach to Cheltenham and you are happy for all union members (not just those from your own union) to book a seat on your coach, please send details to
rejectrepeal@tuc.org.uk.
You can catch a National Express Coaches or Mega Bus across the British Isles to all major cities and towns in the UK from Cheltenham (GL50 3PD) with frequent, reliable services to Birmingham, Bristol, Exeter, Cardiff, Manchester, Sheffield and Edinburgh. For instance, for connections to London, National Express Coaches run 15 times a day from Cheltenham to London Victoria daily from as low as £5 from 2am to 8pm.
Getting there by car
If you do prefer to drive, Cheltenham can be easily accessed via major UK roads and motorways. Cheltenham's direct approach is via Junction 11 of the M5 (follow signs for the town centre), making it easily accessible from all areas of the country, including Bristol, London and Birmingham, all of which are under a two-hour drive from the town.
The town can also be accessed via the A40, which runs through the town centre between London and Monmouthshire, Wales (via Oxford), the A417 from Cirencester, the M5 motorway including junction 11 directly and 11a indirectly, and has straightforward links to the M4 and M6 motorways.
