The Australian Retailers Association has indicated it would be prepared support a union's push to increase the security of casual workers, as long as employers retained flexibility.
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ARA president Russell Zimmerman told Fairfax Media there was some merit in the Australian Council of Trade Unions' call to make casual workers who work regular hours permanent staff.
He said regular casuals could be guaranteed a minimum number of hours a week, but that bosses would be able to request them to leave early or stay longer at short notice.
Mr Zimmerman said it was easier to predict busy periods 20 years ago, but the market had changed so rapidly businesses had little warning about when to expect peak trading.
"You can find Monday's are very busy and Tuesdays could fall into an absolute heap."
Other business groups were less enthusiastic, with the Australian Industry Group saying it would oppose any reduction in flexibility for employers.
"It suits a lot of people to work on a casual basis. History shows there are very few people who want to convert because they either like the flexibility or they don't want to lose the 25 per cent loading," AIG director of national industrial relations, Stephen Smith, said. The loading is compensation for not receiving annual holidays and sick leave.
Restaurant & Catering Australia chief executive John Hart said less workplace flexibility would simply equate to fewer jobs.
"We need more casuals to work in busy periods, not people spread evenly throughout the week. If that is made more difficult, business will just be more hesitant to take people on."
The ACTU is preparing to lodge its submission with Fair Work Australia's review of the existing award system.
ACTU president Ged Kearney said the submission would not apply to genuine casuals, such as those working irregular shifts in bars or restaurants.
"This will recognise people who are permanent workers in everything but name," she said.
If the proposal is adopted, it would most benefit teachers, receptionists, disability support and aged-care workers.
Under the Gillard government, thousands of awards were rolled into 122 awards. Fair Work reviews the system every four years.
The most recent data on the casual workforce was released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in July 2014. It revealed one in five workers - or 19 per cent - were employed on a casual basis. That figure has increased by almost 1 million since 1994.
