The Greens have accused Tony Abbott of gearing up to attack people's rights at work and Minister Eric Abetz of encouraging employers to flout the law.

"The witch-hunt is starting. First Tony Abbott will go after unions, and then he'll come for people's rights at work," Greens Deputy Leader and workplace spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said today.

"Isolated allegations of wrongdoing in one industry should be investigated by the police but should not be used to justify a full scale assault on the union movement."

The Australian Greens are calling the Prime Minister to intervene to protect jobs and the future of Qantas.

"This is devastating news for Qantas workers and their families and devastating news for all Australians", Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt said.

"The future of our national airline is at risk."

"Tony Abbott needs to step in and ensure that Qantas doesn't go to the wall."

Greens Deputy Leader and workplace relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP has said the Greens will resist the government's attempt to undermine unions' ability to protect Australian workers' rights.

Mr Bandt said the Greens will not support legislation introduced by the government today, which would reinstate the notorious Australian Building and Construction Commission and undermine the autonomy of unions.

Greens Deputy Leader Adam Bandt MP has welcomed Kevin Rudd's jobs announcements today but said Kevin Rudd had an opportunity to vote for one of the key policies earlier in the year when Labor opposed Greens amendments.

Mr Bandt moved amendments to the Australian Jobs Bill on May 28 this year to lower the threshold for Australian Industry Participation plans. Labor joined with Tony Abbott to vote down the amendments.

Today Kevin Rudd announced a plan to require all projects worth $300 million or more to adopt Australian Industry Participation Plans.

The Greens' vision for workplaces puts people firmly at the centre of workplace laws at a time when job insecurity and time pressure are on the rise.

Workplace laws should enable people to have a secure job, a good balance between working and personal & family life and protect people's rights at work.

We'll give people more control over balancing work and home, by bringing in the right to request flexible working arrangements and strengthening protections for carers.

The Australian Greens today reaffirmed their support for penalty rates and pledged to oppose any changes from a future Abbott government.

Greens Deputy Leader and industrial relations spokesperson, Adam Bandt, said the Greens were a vital line of defence against any Abbott-led attacks on people's rights at work.

"As the Greens have repeatedly said, penalty rates are a recognition of the unsociable hours that many people work," said Mr Bandt.

"Many people, especially young workers, rely on penalty rates to earn a living wage," Mr Bandt concluded.

Greens Deputy Leader and workplace relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP has welcomed the passage of the 457 reforms through the House of Representatives.

Mr Bandt says his support for the legislation came after the Greens secured amendments to protect local nursing and engineering jobs.

“This is an important step in protecting Australian jobs and the rights of all workers – locals and those on 457 visas,” Mr Bandt said.

“It is a culmination of a strong campaign to ensure that employers test the local labour market before seeking to bring in workers from overseas.”

A bid by Greens Deputy Leader and workplace relations spokesperson Adam Bandt to prevent Telstra subsidiary Sensis from off-shoring jobs was rejected by Labor and Tony Abbott today.

Mr Bandt tried to bring on an emergency debate on his Telecommunications Amendment (Protecting Local Workers) Bill which would require Telstra to produce directories such as the White Pages and Yellow Pages in Australia.

“Labor has dudded Yellow Pages workers,” Mr Bandt said.

“Telstra is required by law to produce the White Pages. My bill would ensure the work was done in Australia.”

Greens Deputy Leader and workplace relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP has said government action on 457 visas was long overdue. Mr Bandt said the Greens were favourably disposed to the government's bill introduced today, but would look closely at the detail of the bill, particularly in relation to labour market testing.

“On the face of it, the government seems to have finally listened to unions and the Greens and are moving to require employers to advertise locally before bringing in workers from overseas,” Mr Bandt said.

Greens Deputy Leader and workplace spokesperson Adam Bandt MP says he will move amendments to the Fair Work Act tomorrow to limit the ability of the Fair Work commission to supress minimum wage rises because of increases in the superannuation guarantee.

The Fair Work Commission justified its decision to only award an increase of 2.6 per cent to the minimum wage today, in part because of the planned increase to the compulsory super guarantee contribution from employers.