MPs should be put to work in April: Labor

Labor wants federal MPs to have a full week of work when they return to Canberra on April 18 at the request of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Labor wants MPs put to work when they're recalled for a special sitting of federal parliament in mid-April.

MPs and senators are being brought back to Canberra to debate industrial relations legislation that could trigger a July 2 double-dissolution election.

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke says if the 150 MPs are flying into the national capital it should be a normal sitting week with Question Time and anything less is a "pure indulgence" on the part of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne says no decision has been made about how many days the House of Representatives needs to sit.

But it will have to debate a new bill delaying a Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal order for truckies' pay from coming into effect until January 2017.

Mr Pyne denied the government was running for cover, telling ABC radio on Wednesday the claim was "absolute rubbish".