Hundreds of union members gathered in Roma Street Parklands to remember their colleagues who’ve been killed or injured at work.

They then took their frustrations onto the streets calling for better legislation to protect workers in the construction industry.

Libby Armstrong reports.

[flashvideo file=https://www.qutnews.com/uploads/tv-2010-1/20100428-workers-protest.flv /]

TRANSCRIPT

The calm before the storm – a monument unveiled honouring thousands of Queenslanders as part of International Workers’ Memorial Day.

Vox one: “It’s a day of remembrance for all the fallen brothers. People who have just gone to work, tried to earn a crust for their family and they just haven’t come home.”

A flower laid for each of their colleagues injured or killed at work and eight hard hats to mark the number of construction workers lost over the past financial year.

The workers then rallied to Waterfront Place.

Hundreds of workers marched in protest today, and they took their noise straight to Kevin Rudd’s front door.

They claim Mr Rudd has failed to uphold his promise of dismantling the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

They now want it abolished.

Bud Neiland, CFMEU: “The ABCC have got the powers to stop union officials going to the job, if they believe they shouldn’t be there.”

Peter Close, CFMEU Assistant State Secretary: “If the government doesn’t want to do something about it, we do something about it.”

Tomorrow workers will conduct a statewide safety audit of their workplaces. No work will begin until the audit is complete.

Libby Armstrong, QUT News