A group of Queensland women claim the China Free Trade Deal will threaten their jobs.

They held a protest meeting in Brisbane’s CBD today, condemning the agreement and demanding job protection.

Fern Doyle reports.

TRANSCRIPT

They rallied outside the office of federal coalition MP Teresa Gambaro, to voice their anger at the China Free Trade Deal.

The CFMEU members claim the agreement in its current form will take their jobs and give them to Chinese workers.

Jane Calvert, CFMEU, National President: “Malcolm Turnbull, wake up, you cannot pass this agreement which picks winners and losers very few winners in Australia and a whole lot of losers and those losers are workers, their families and the community.”

They had two prime ministers in their sights, saying the deal will make an already tough job market even tougher.

Kylie Wray, CFMEU Member: “This is all about jobs for local workers. I’ve got a partner that’s unemployed impossible to get jobs.”

The Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union added its weight to the protest.

Michele O’Neil: “We want to make sure this is a fair trade agreement, not just a free one.”

Unions are ramping up protests across the nation as the debate on the China free trade agreement comes to a head in Canberra.

A spokesman for Trade Minister Andrew Robb says the Union is running a dishonest scare campaign.

He says it’s more about the Union fighting for its survival and targeting the Coalition government.

Teresa Gambaro’s office says the free trade deal will benefit Queensland farmers as well as the mining and resource sectors.

It’s clear these women aren’t convinced.

Fern Doyle, QUT News.