Workers stage mass rallies in Australia labour protest

ABOUT 100,000 workers jammed the streets of three Australian cities yesterday to protest against the government’s planned labour law reforms, which they say will reduce job security and worsen working conditions.

Up to 60,000 people rallied in the Melbourne cold, Victoria state police said, bringing the city centre to a standstill. At least 30,000 workers marched on Sydney’s streets and another 15,000 gathered in Brisbane in a series of union-led rallies opposing the changes.

Prime Minister John Howard’s centre-right coalition has proposed sweeping reforms of Australia’s industrial relations system, saying employment conditions must be made more flexible if the country’s decade of economic growth is to continue.