Italy's three largest labour unions joined force in Rome today to demonstrate against rising unemployment and unfair taxes.

Organisers from the unions CGIL, CISL and UIL expected around 200,000 people to join the two marches through the centre of Rome and attend final rallies.

Workers and activists begin to gather early in the morning, arriving on nearly 1,500 buses and 10 trains from all over Italy and ships from Sardinia.

The three unions have not demonstrated together for over 10 years.

Labour reforms, approved under care-taker Prime Minister Mario Monti after long negotiations with trade unions and political parties, slightly eased firing restrictions on regular workers, while curbing the use of the temporary contracts often used to hire young people.

But the reforms were widely criticised by unions and employers, and as Italy's longest post-war recession has dragged on the jobless rate has risen steadily.

Unemployment among people under the age of 24 now stands at an all-time record of more than 40 per cent.