Labor leader Bill Shorten says unions and business should work closer to reform industrial relations, starting with the troubled construction industry.
Mr Shorten told a forum in Sydney that work place laws would change under a Labor government, built on more collaboration rather than class war.
"If we live in a class warfare world waged either by ideological governments or unions, we fail," Mr Shorten told the National Reform Summit.
"Our focus should be upon bringing interests together.
"This could start collaboratively in reforming industrial relations and construction and major projects."
He said the coalition government had taken an "ideological approach" to industrial relations, which was not helping the economy.
"Australia in 2015 can't afford these old-fashioned views," he told reporters.
Workplace Minister Eric Abetz said Mr Shorten had marshalled his senators to vote down new laws to deal with union corruption.
"His claim that he wants to set aside class warfare, whilst the words are welcome, his actions have spoken so much louder than his words," Senator Abetz said.
The construction sector has been in the spotlight during the unions royal commission, with four former officials from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) arrested by police.
The commission has also recommended a number of CFMEU officials be referred to commonwealth prosecutors.
The CFMEU has joined other unions in action to remove royal commissioner Dyson Heydon over perceived bias for accepting an invitation to speak at a Liberal Party function.
Mr Heydon is due to deliver his ruling on the matter this Friday.
The CFMEU says the commission was politically motivated from the start and any misconduct - for which it says it has zero tolerance - should properly be dealt with by police and the courts.
Labor has baulked at supporting the coalition restoring the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
Mr Shorten himself appeared at the unions royal commission in July to face questions about his role as an Australian Workers Union secretary negotiating with construction firm Thiess John Holland.
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