Union rally for minimum wage increase disrupts Melbourne's CBD as tens of thousands march
Updated
Parts of Melbourne's CBD have been brought to a standstill as tens of thousands of people rally for an increase to Australia's minimum wage.
The huge crowd marched from Trades Hall on Victoria St to Federation Square, moving down Latrobe Street, Lonsdale Street and Swanston Street.
Yarra Trams warned passengers to expect delays on the tram network and advised people to consider taking the train.
Police closed sections of the affected streets the protesters made their way through the CBD.
The march is part of the Australian Council of Trades Union's Change the Rules campaign, which is calling for a $50 per week increase to the minimum wage.
Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus said the campaign was also fighting to reverse cuts to penalty rates and improved working conditions.
She said the sweeping tax cuts announced in Tuesday's budget would not improve the lives of workers on low wages.
"It means the people on the minimum wage will pay the same tax as people earning $200,000 a year," she said.
"That's not a fair tax system, it's also not fair that there's the $80 billion corporate tax cuts in there.
"In the end when there's less revenue it's working people who end up paying anyway."
Victorian Trades Hall Council secretary Luke Hilakari said the campaign was the union movement's biggest in a decade.
"Last night's budget did nothing for working people. It was like Malcolm Turnbull threw crumbs to Australian workers," Mr Hilakari said.
"Well, crumbs are no longer good enough for us, we want the whole cake.
"We want our penalty rates back, we want equal pay for women, we want to make sure that all Australians get a decent pay rise."
Topics: unions, melbourne-3000
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