Why are we rallying? Here are five simple reasons.

1. Under John Howard's IR laws, average earnings increases for workers are the lowest they have been for seven years.

2. Sixty percent of AWA individual contracts registered since the new laws came into effect scrap penalty rates - the Government's own workplace watchdog (the OEA) has admitted this.

3. A third of the AWAs cut overtime pay. Half get rid of shift allowances and another third do away with public holidays.

4. Many of these contracts don't have any pay increase built in, some for as long as five years.

5. At the same time, petrol prices are up, mortgage repayments are up, and childcare fees are up. Health, education, food – the cost of all these staples have increased, while our pay stagnates and in many cases goes backwards under the IR laws.

Why are you rallying?