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Nurse and postal worker to top list of speakers at Saturday’s Durham Miners Gala

A NURSE and a postal worker will top the list of speakers at this Saturday’s Durham Miners Gala, organisers announced today.

Holly Johnston, a nurse and GMB member, and the Communication Workers Union’s Rohan Kon, a postie, are set to address about 200,000 people at the annual celebration of socialism.

The “Big Meeting,” which is being held for the first time since 2019 following Covid-19 disruption, will see a “massive demonstration of public support for our key workers,” the Durham Miners Association said. 

Ms Johnston, who nursed cancer patients during the pandemic but is still unable to return to full-time work due to persistent long Covid symptoms, said: “It is people like us who have kept the country going, but we are now facing attacks on our conditions.

“There has never been a more important time to join a union — we must use our collective power to force change.”

Ms Kon stressed: “This gala is about us sending a loud and clear message to bosses: We are going to fight for our lives.”

Several union leaders are also set to address the event, including Unite’s Sharon Graham and RMT’s Mick Lynch. 

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