Sydney: Hundreds of thousands of workers staged protest in Australia on Tuesday against Prime Minister John Howard's proposed labour reforms.
The central business districts of major cities were brought to a halt by masses accusing Howard's Liberal-National coalition of attacking fundamental rights and trying to crush the trade unions.
"What we see today is the largest gathering ever of workers across Australia," Unions New South Wales secretary John Robertson told the rally.
More than 30,000 demonstrators had the support of the premiers of Australia's six states, which are all governed by the opposition Labor Party.
The proposed laws, which cut the power of unions in favour of individual workplace contracts, were passed by the Lower House of Parliament last week and go before the Senate later in November.
They are being promoted by Howard's conservative government as a means of creating jobs and boosting the economy, but critics say they will cut pay, rights to holidays, rest breaks, bonuses and allowances.
Comments
0 comment