Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he has two things in common with Bob Hawke - he was the last prime minister to attend Bathurst and was prepared to stand up to the union "thuggery".
The comparison comes as a month-long Council of Trade Unions advertising blitz highlighting wage inequality between fat cats and every day workers kicks off.
The television and radio advertisements will promote 13 rallies in cities and regional centres starting in Perth on October 18.
Mr Morrison says the way to get a stronger economy isn't to pick fights with one another, but to work together.
Despite that sentiment, Mr Morrison during a press conference in Blayney on Sunday, referred to ACTU secretary Sally McManus as a law breaker and opposition leader Bill Shorten as a union puppet.
"There's one thing I have in common with Bob Hawke - he was the last prime minister to turn up at the Bathurst 1000 and he was a prime minister who was prepared to stand up to union thuggery," he said.
The latest weapon in the ACTU's Change The Rules campaign comes after secretary Sally McManus dialled up the pressure on Labor to support sector-wide bargaining in a major speech last week
"Our wages are going backwards and that's having a huge impact on working families," Ms McManus said on Sunday.
She said the union just wanted Australian workers to have the same opportunities as others did overseas.
Labor leader Bill Shorten said his party hadn't finalised a position on changes to wage bargaining, but agreed with unions' claims about sluggish wage growth.
"Corporate profits are going up, some people are doing very well thank you very much. But for millions of everyday Aussies, they haven't had a wage rise in absolute ages," he told the Seven Network.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said unions would have a much greater role within Labor under a Shorten government.
Industrial Relations Minister Kelly O'Dwyer has warned industry-wide action would paralyse whole sectors of the economy, with the potential to shut down essential services like schools and hospitals.
But Ms McManus said this wasn't true because there was limitations on strike action in industries that could pose a threat to life.
