Washington, Sep 6 (IANS): Set to give a major speech on job creation, President Barack Obama has called for an end to "Washington games" and asked opposition Republicans to support initiatives benefitting the middle class.

Speaking to a Labour Day rally in the auto town of Detroit Monday, Obama challenged Congressional Republicans to put the country ahead of party as he proposed boosting construction and infrastructure projects.

"The time for Washington games is over. The time for action is now. No more manufactured crises and no more games," he said in a preview of his speech Thursday to a joint session of Congress.

Now is not the time for the people you sent to Washington to worry about their jobs; now is the time for them to worry about your jobs."

"We have more than one million unemployed construction workers ready to get dirty right now," Obama said. "Labour's on board and businesses (are) on board. We just need Congress to get on board."

"America cannot have a strong growing economy without a strong growing middle class and without a strong labour movement," he said.

The audience was quick with applause and chants of "Four more years," especially after Obama rattled off measures he had fought for (affordable health care, a consumer financial protection agency) or against (ending collective bargaining), CBS reported.

But even as Obama vowed to fight for a new job growth plan, defend organized labour and take steps to "restore the middle class in America," five Republican candidates hoping to defeat him next year all called for repealing the major legislation passed so far in Obama's presidency.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Representatives Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and businessman Herman Cain were unified in advocating the end of the health care reform law and the Wall Street reform measure passed by a Democratic-led Congress.