The peak trade union body wants the industrial umpire to be given the teeth to arbitrate and properly deal with wage theft.
ACTU secretary Sally McManus will make the case for changes to the Fair Work Commission in a speech to think tank Per Capita on Friday.
She wants the umpire to be a "one-stop shop" for resolving disputes and responding to mistreatment in the workplace.
"The Industrial Commission used to be a strong umpire. Work Choices relegated it to being an occasional linesman," she will say.
"It now makes a few calls here and there, but it's a long way from the main game."
Ms McManus will cite the high cost for workers of fighting wage theft in the courts and argue it should instead be arbitrated by the commission.
"We need a tough cop back to deal with wage theft," she is due to say.
The secretary wants the commission to have strong powers to compel parties to attend conferences and hearings and for the ability to summons not just the store owner but the franchisor.
When it comes to enterprise bargaining, the union says the commission is now just applying check lists created by parliament, in a one size fits all manner.
It should instead be able to consider what is fair and reasonable, determining cases on their merits - not constrained by existing rules.
"The independent umpire should be there to knock heads together. It should be there to help parties reach agreement," Ms McManus says.
