Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) president Ged Kearney on Wednesday announced that Australia needs to launch an urgent national debate on the future of workers ' rights.

Kearney, in her address in National Press Club here, said she is concerned about the increasing casualisation of the workforce.

On job security, Kearney expressed concern that one of the leading trends in the workforce was away from permanent full-time employment, which she argued led to social disruption and instability.

Kearney said that full-time employment was "once the basis of our economic security and also all of our social structures", but its decline meant people were putting their lives on hold.

"In Australia, over the past two decades, we have seen a significant growth in total wealth with GDP per capita increasing by 42 percent. Much of this growth has resulted from economic, financial and social risks being transferred from employers to workers," she told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.

Therefore, the ACTU president canvassed a number of potential reforms, including a mandatory requirement for companies to offer full-time positions to employees after six months casual work and rewards such as government contracts being prioritized for employers who provided greater security.

She also called for the establishment of a national discussion forum involving industry, government and unions to pursue potential policy options on the provision of greater job security for workers.

"This is a national issue of utmost urgency. This issue needs a comprehensive policy response," Kearney said.

"We need dedicated resources to produce real long-term solutions that ensure equitable sharing of the benefits of productivity and economic growth with all working Australians."

Kearney warned that unless changes were made, an economic " crisis" would be triggered by a work force supporting a growing number of retirees.

She proposed "boosting the tax base" citing the government's mining tax as a sound proposal and said older workers should be encouraged to participate in the workforce longer.