Thousands of workers have converged on central Melbourne as unions mobilise nationally against the Abbott government’s workplace relations agenda.
A massive crowd gathered in Carlton shortly before 10am, marching to Federation Square, blocking traffic and several major intersections causing parts of the CBD to grind to a halt.
“They say cut back we say fight back,” organisers chanted through the sea of high-vis workwear.
Simultaneous rallies are being staged in every capital city and several regional centres, with workers from construction, healthcare, education, maritime and the public sector making strong showings.
The protests are the culmination of union anger at a looming review of the nation’s industrial relations system by the Productivity Commission, which will closely examine penalty rates, the minimum wage and workplace flexibility.
Enterprise bargaining, individual agreements between employers and workers and unfair dismissal laws will also be examined.
Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Dave Oliver told the crowd in Melbourne that the government was using the Productivity Commission review as a “Trojan horse” to reignite a Howard-era industrial relations push and wage war on workers.
“The Coalition government is using the Productivity Commission inquiry into rights at work in an attempt to cut penalty rates, abolish the minimum wage, bring back unfair individual contracts and swing even more power to the employers,” Mr Oliver said.
“The community will not stand by while the Liberals take Australia in the wrong direction.”
The union movement has been accused of hyping fears over the contentious inquiry after the Abbott government appeared to rule out a radical overhaul of penalty rates and the minimum wage.
“The government will leave the responsibility of setting modern awards, including penalty rates, and the minimum wage with the Fair Work Commission,” Employment Minister Eric Abetz said. “That’s the way it remains under the Coalition.”
Mr Oliver said nothing had been officially ruled out in the inquiry and workers were “again under attack”.
The rally condemned the federal government’s plans to hike education and medical costs.
Victorian Trades Hall Council said tens of thousands of workers were expected to march in Melbourne.
“People just don’t trust this government with our rights at work, with Medicare, with education funding, with community services,” Trades Hall industrial and campaigns officer Wil Stracke said.
