Up to 5000 unionists marched through Sydney鈥檚 CBD on September 6 to demand the right to strike and the abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).
The rally was organised by the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU), with members of the union鈥檚 construction and maritime divisions making up the majority of protesters.
They were joined by contingents from a number of other unions.
CFMMEU delegate Dennis McNamara addressed the crowd, saying: 鈥淚鈥檝e seen governments come and go. They deregistered my old union [the Builders Labourers Federation], but we鈥檙e still here.
鈥淯nder the current Coalition government鈥檚 ABCC, there are rules and laws that only apply to building workers, not to other workers. Under these discriminatory laws, the bosses are trying to rob us blind.
鈥淚t鈥檚 time for them and the Scott Morrison government to go.鈥
ACTU President Michele O鈥橬eil told the rally: 鈥淭his is a very important fight for you, your families, your workmates and all workers in Australia. We are fighting because the system is broken.
鈥淭he top end of town has too much power. We have had 30 years of economic growth in Australia but our wages have been going backwards while those at the top are getting higher profits.鈥
Another speaker said, to wide applause, 鈥淟et鈥檚 not deregister the CFMMEU, let鈥檚 deregister the banks! Let鈥檚 deregister the Liberal Party!鈥 in response to comments by Morrison earlier that week that he was considering deregistering the CFMMEU.
Other speakers urged workers to support and build the proposed actions to 鈥淐hange the Rules鈥 on October 23.
Click for more photos of the protest.