The peak body for unions and small business representatives have struck a landmark deal on workplace reform ahead of the federal government's jobs and skills summit.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions and Council of Small Businesses Australia (COSBOA) have agreed in principle to work together to simplify and reduce complexities within the current industrial relations system.
This includes a pledge to support new options for collective bargaining, proposed by the ACTU last week, enabling multiple workplaces to work together to secure deals for employees.
But any changes to bargaining arrangements would be opt-in rather than mandated, COSBOA chief Alexi Boyd said.
"We're not looking at any mandates or whole-sector requirements or anything like that," she told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
"It's about finding what's fit for purpose for a particular business so that ... we can help them navigate the system, because right now the system is broken."
Small businesses had previously been left out of industrial relations discussions, but that must change, Ms Boyd said.
"The system is not built for small business, it's not built for it now and it's not built for it in the future," she said.
The agreement was flagged as a historic step forward in modernising Australia's industrial relations system by ACTU secretary Sally McManus.
She said further details would be released after wide consultation with businesses.
"This is an investment of time, effort and goodwill with the small business sector of our economy to help them have a system that works for them," she said.
"It will be about the union movement investing in getting this right for the small businesses so that they are comfortable with the system."
Supporting a simpler form of the "better off overall test" in fair work laws is also part of the agreement.
Employment Minister Tony Burke said he was "really excited" by the collaborative approach between the two groups.
"The proposal that has come forward from COSBOA and the ACTU is about bringing the system up to date," he told reporters.
"I'm watching the conversation closely, I'm very attracted to some of the ideas that are coming forward (but) the government doesn't have a proposal specifically at this point."
People working in care sectors, who are predominantly female, are expected to benefit from the proposed collective bargaining arrangements.
Labour shortages in care sectors have also been a key issue in the lead up to the summit, with the Victorian government deciding to relieve nursing trainees from HECS obligations in a bid to attract people into the industry.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not rule out the notion of relieving workers in key industries from HECS debts as a measure to retain workers in key industries.
However, he did stress he would not make "multi-billion-dollar commitments on the run."
Addressing the National Press Club on Monday, Mr Albanese said the government was pulling levers available to it to support workers in the care economy, such as increasing wages for aged care workers.
He said the government had also committed to making gender pay equity an objective of the Fair Work Act.
Australian Greens education spokesperson Mehreen Faruqi called for fee-free degrees and training for all students.
"It's great that thousands of nursing students won't go into enormous debt in order to get an education," Senator Faruqi said.
"That opportunity should be extended to everyone."
