The ACTU will release the polling results at today's meeting of its executive in Melbourne to bolster its calls for new unfair-dismissal protection to be enforced as soon as possible, as well as new rules on collective bargaining.

Conducted a week ago by Galaxy, the poll of 1009 people found 73 per cent did not want unfair dismissal protection delayed until January 1, 2010 - when Labor's new industrial relations system is due to begin.

Support among Labor voters to bring forward the unfair dismissal laws, which were abolished under Work Choices, was 89 per cent. Another 69 per cent - or 85 per cent of Labor voters - opposed any delay to restoring the full collective bargaining rights of workers.

There is also majority opposition to Labor's plans to make workers in small businesses - those with fewer than 15 employees - wait 12 months before they are eligible for unfair-dismissal protection.

To read more, click here...