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Changes will be made to the government's workplace reform laws, following talks with business groups and unions.

As the government looks to pass legislation before the end of the year, Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said new amendments would be introduced on Tuesday.

The bill includes multi-employer bargaining and the ability to force businesses to cater for requests for more flexible work hours.

Under the amendments, a majority of support will be needed of employees from each employer for a single-interest bargaining authorisation

Businesses and workers also won't be compelled into a single-interest employer agreements when they have agreed to bargain for a single-enterprise agreement.

Further changes will also be made to the better off overall test to make sure new employees under an agreement won't be left worse off.

The Fair Work Commission will be required to be satisfied a minimum period of good-faith bargaining has occurred before moving to arbitrate.

And businesses will be given one year to adjust to changes to fixed-term contracts.

Announcing the amendments on Monday, Mr Burke said they were "sensible improvements" to the bill.

"Single enterprise agreements will remain the primary form of agreement and this bill makes important improvements to get more people on to single enterprise agreements," he said.

"We're also opening up the multi-employer pathway for people who haven't been able to access single enterprise agreements, particularly low-paid workers in female-dominated industries."

Earlier key senator crossbenchers Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock queried some of the elements of the government's plan.

Senator Lambie says she's waiting for a guarantee the changes will push up wages, which is the government's main justification for the bill despite opposition from business.

"Because the only one that seems to be selling that point is (Workplace Relations Minister) Tony Burke and the unions," she told reporters on Monday.

The independent Tasmanian senator said keeping the building and construction watchdog - which the government has committed to abolishing - was also a sticking point.

"Somebody needs to be policing (the industry). I thought it was working quite well, to be honest with you," she said.

Senator Pocock has proposed splitting the bill and solely voting on the non-controversial aspects, such as measures to improve gender pay equity, before Christmas.

The government needs the vote of at least one crossbencher on top of the Greens for the legislation to pass the Senate.

"This is not about delaying," Senator Pocock wrote on Twitter.

"By splitting the bill we can pass the parts of it that are straightforward and supported across the board and take the proper time to understand and refine parts that aren't."

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O'Neil said workers couldn't wait any longer for a pay rise, with wages stagnant for a decade and real wages going backwards for more than year.

Ms O'Neil also said business groups were trying to stop wages from rising by opposing the multi-employer bargain components of the bill.

Nationals leader David Littleproud agreed the bill needed more time to be scrutinised.

"This won't increase wages by Christmas," he told Sky News.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said his party would need to see what changes the government makes to the bill before declaring support for it.

"We need industrial relations that work for women ... that work for carers ... and lift wages for the lowest paid," he told reporters.

© AAP 2022

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Changes to workplace laws that would give more power to employees requesting flexible hours and negotiating leverage have hit a major hurdle.

Key senator crossbenchers Jacqui Lambie and David Pocock are putting on a united front against the government trying to push the legislation through by Christmas.

The bill includes multi-employer bargaining and the ability to force businesses to cater for requests for more flexible work hours.

Senator Lambie says she's waiting for a guarantee the changes will push up wages, which is the government's main justification for the bill despite opposition from business.

"Because the only one that seems to be selling that point is (Workplace Relations Minister) Tony Burke and the unions," she told reporters on Monday.

Business groups have brokered an agreement with the government to amend the bill so that businesses and workforces aren't roped into industrial action against their will.

But they want the government to go further, as does Senator Lambie.

"If they don't want to multi-bargain, they shouldn't be made to, regardless of size," she said.

The independent Tasmanian senator said keeping the building and construction watchdog - which the government has committed to abolishing - was also a sticking point.

"Somebody needs to be policing (the industry). I thought it was working quite well, to be honest with you," she said.

Senator Pocock says the secured amendments were a good start, but there was still work to be done.

He's proposed splitting the bill and solely voting on the non-controversial aspects, such as measures to improve gender pay equity, before Christmas.

The government has said it won't negotiate on the key aspects of the bill but needs the vote of at least one crossbencher on top of the Greens for the legislation to pass the Senate.

Senator Pocock says it's not a matter of there being only two solutions: Passing the bill or stopping wages growth.

"This is not about delaying," he wrote on Twitter.

"By splitting the bill we can pass the parts of it that are straightforward and supported across the board and take the proper time to understand and refine parts that aren't."

Senator Lambie said it would be "a miracle" if the full suite of changes passed by Christmas.

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Michele O'Neil said workers couldn't wait any longer for a pay rise, with wages stagnant for a decade and real wages going backwards for more than year.

Ms O'Neil also said business groups were trying to stop wages from rising by opposing the multi-employer bargain components of the bill.

Nationals leader David Littleproud agreed the bill needed more time to be scrutinised.

"This won't increase wages by Christmas," he told Sky News.

Mr Littleproud said expanded multi-employer bargaining rules would lead to more strikes, job losses and drive up costs for consumers.

Greens leader Adam Bandt said his party would need to see what changes the government makes to the bill before declaring support for it.

"We need industrial relations that work for women ... that work for carers ... and lift wages for the lowest paid," he told reporters.

"That's the lens we'll be looking at this bill through, but one thing we do know is people are feeling the pinch of wages going backwards right now."

© AAP 2022

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Sri Lankan international cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka will apply for bail after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Sydney's eastern suburbs.

The 31-year-old, who is in Australia for the T20 World Cup, met his alleged victim on a dating app before going on a date on Wednesday, according to NSW Police.

After going back to her Rose Bay home, Gunathilaka assaulted her multiple times over several hours, police allege.

The left-hand batter was arrested at his Sydney CBD hotel in the early hours of Sunday and was later refused bail by a court.

The cricketer will make an application for release on Monday, with his defence lawyer Ananda Amaranath saying he was concerned about the length of time his client had spent in custody.

Magistrate Robert Williams noted Gunathilaka had no criminal history.

He had spent a night in custody in at Surry Hills Police Station before appearing in handcuffs and a grey T-shirt via video link at the Downing Centre Local Court on Monday.

He has been charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

Gunathilaka travelled to Australia with Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup team but only played in the team's first game, a loss against Namibia, before being ruled out of the competition with a hamstring tear.

Sri Lanka bowed out of the T20 tournament on Saturday night after losing their final match to England.

He has played nearly 100 T20 and one-day internationals for Sri Lanka as well as a handful of tests.

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Sri Lankan international cricketer Danushka Gunathilaka is due to face a Sydney court after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman.

The 31-year-old, who is in Australia for the T20 World Cup, met his alleged victim on a dating app before going on a date on Wednesday, according to NSW Police.

After going back to her place in Rose Bay, Gunathilaka assaulted her multiple times over several hours, police allege.

The left-hand batter was arrested at his Sydney CBD hotel in the early hours of Sunday and was later refused bail by a court.

He has spent a night in custody ahead of a scheduled appearance before Waverley Local Court on Monday.

He has been charged with four counts of sexual intercourse without consent.

Gunathilaka travelled to Australia with Sri Lanka's T20 World Cup team but only played in the team's first game, a loss against Namibia, before being ruled out of the competition with a hamstring tear.

Sri Lanka bowed out of the T20 tournament on Saturday night after losing their final match to England.

He has played nearly 100 T20 and one-day internationals for Sri Lanka as well as a handful of tests.

© AAP 2022