Press release/photo opportunity

What: Demonstration in support of the ‘School Meals’ campaign.

When: 1pm Thursday 9 March 2023

Where: Glasgow City Chambers, George Square; G2 1DU

Activists launch campaign to end school hunger in Glasgow

Protest as the education, skills and early years policy committee meets in Glasgow City Chambers.

On International School Meals Day activists call for action.

There should be no delay in educational institutions providing food, good nourishment and nutrition to all children without means testing.

Unite for a Workers’ Economy is joining forces with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and the Together Against Debt campaign.

Activists are calling for an end to means-based ‘free’ school meals and to provide school dinners for all children in Glasgow. The campaign also calls for the eradication of school meal debt.

Many students in primary schools are entitled to ‘free’ school meals up to P5. Rising costs mean an increasing number of families who are not entitled to these school meals can no longer make ends meet.

The cost of living crisis means more and more parents are fighting a losing battle to feed their children in their most important years of school.

Unite for a Workers’ economy is calling for provisions to be put in place to ensure that no child has to go hungry during the school day.

There should be no delay in educational institutions providing food, good nourishment and nutrition to all children without means testing. The Scottish Government incorporated the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, (UNCRC) into Scots law but the Childrens’ rights bill has been plagued by Government inaction (see notes to editors).

Unite senior organiser, Joe Rollin said: “More and more parents are fighting a losing battle to feed their children in their most important years of school - this cannot continue.

“Activists are calling on Glasgow City Council to ensure that no primary school child has to go hungry. There must be an end to means testing and school meals debt.

“The levels of food poverty in Glasgow is absolutely shameful. Glasgow City Council must act. As a society we have to give children the best start in life - hungry children cannot learn.”

According to a recent survey conducted by Survation for Unite In Glasgow over 24% – 152,000 people have said they are experiencing moderate to severe levels of food poverty.

From workplace to community Unite is driving a UK-wide strategy to help bring change to ‘‎‎heartland’ ‎‎communities following the failure of politicians to act. ‘‎‎Unite for a Workers' Economy’‎‎ has begun with a major national campaign across key battle-ground seats up and down the UK, including Glasgow, Grimsby, Hull, Leigh, Barrow, Workington, Morecombe and Crawley.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child has 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life and sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children everywhere are entitled to.

Article 27 of the UNCRC says that children and young people should be able to live in a way that helps them reach their full physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social potential.

For this to happen, they should have access to adequate food and housing. Good nourishment and nutrition are essential for children and young people to reach their full potential, while safe and well-maintained housing is necessary to ensuring their development. 

For more information please contact Claire Peden on 07815 704 914 or Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315 

Email: Ci[email protected]

Twitter: @unitetheunion Facebook: unitetheunion1 Web: unitetheunion.org 

Unite is the leading union in the UK and Ireland, dedicated to defending and improving members' jobs, pay and conditions. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.