The prospect of industry-wide strikes and small businesses being dragged into multi-employer bargaining against their will are chief among the concerns of the independents who are demanding the government delay the passage of its industrial relations legislation and subject it to greater scrutiny.

In turn, the government, while indicating a willingness to negotiate, said the Senate crossbench risked perpetuating low wages growth by insisting on delaying passage of the bill beyond the preferred deadline of December 1 until at least February next year.