A Union Rally of Thousands of Protestors Has Shutdown Melbourne's CBD
There'll be a slew of road closures and limited trams from 10.30am during the Australian Council of Trade Unions' Change the Rules rally.
Thousands of protesters have filled the streets of Melbourne's CBD today to march in a massive Change the Rules rally with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). Beginning at Carlton's Victorian Trades Hall on Wednesday, April 10 at 10.30am, protesters are marching along Russell and La Trobe streets before making their way down Swanston Street and Bourke Street finishing around 1.30pm at the State Parliament.
As a result, commuters can expect closures down Lygon and Swanston Streets and major disruptions to CBD public transport. Yarra Trams has announced that there will be limited city trams running during the rally, with disruptions and cancellations on lines 3, 5, 16 and 67, and no Route 30 or City Circle trams. Route 86 and 96 are currently terminating at Parliament Station and no trams are running between the Arts Precinct and RMIT University.
Passengers are being advised to walk between stops in the CBD and to use the City Loop train where possible.
The Change the Rules rally calls on the Federal Government to improve working conditions, job security and ensure workers can keep up with the rising cost of living by increasing the minimum wage. Protesters are also hoping to convince Prime Minister Scott Morrison to call a federal election now.
The rally extends across the country, with protests also taking place in Sydney, Canberra and in various sites across Queensland.
Today's rally is follows a similar Change the Rules protest that took place last October and saw close to 170,000 people take to the streets. It's also the second rally to take happen in Melbourne's CBD this week, with animal rights protesters blocking intersections on Monday morning to protest the treatment of livestock and promote a new documentary.
Head to the PTV website for live public transport updates and to the VicRoads website for live traffic delays and road closure information.
Top image: Australian Unions.
