Major employers, including miners and stevedore Qube, have rejected union analysis they are suppressing wages using labour hire-like corporate structures, calling it “dishonest” and a move to ensure union power rather than pay.

The criticism comes as the Mining and Energy Union will launch a months-long ad blitz on Wednesday across television, print and social media in support of the Albanese government’s same job, same pay laws to close “labour hire loopholes”.