Senators will debate the Bill today after the alcopops legislation was defeated yesterday.

Ms Gillard has refused to accept proposed amendments to Labor's unfair dismissal laws, leaving cross-bench senators to work out a common position among themselves. The Bill widens the application of unfair dismissal laws from the current exemption for businesses with fewer than 100 staff to those with 15 employees provided they have been employed for six months.

It adds unfair dismissal protection for staff in businesses with fewer than 15 employees provided they have been employed for 12 months. But some business groups and the Opposition oppose the new laws, saying all businesses with less than 25 full-time equivalent employees should be exempt from unfair dismissal protection.

Ms Gillard told Parliament yesterday the Liberals had gone back on a statement by Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull in December that they would honour Labor's mandate on unfair dismissal laws.

She accused the Opposition of trying to reintroduce Work-Choices ''rip-offs'' with its proposed amendments.

''I say to every senator involved that every Liberal amendment has within it a rip-off they will not tell you about,'' Ms Gillard said. But Opposition workplace relations spokesman Michael Keenan dismissed her accusation, saying it was just ideological posturing, and cited a survey by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry that showed employers feared Labor's Bill.

''When will Julia Gillard and the Rudd Labor Government sit up and listen to Australian employers and the very grave concerns they have for the damage the Fair Work Bill in its original form will do to their ability to create jobs,'' he said. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a survey yesterday showing 54 per cent of business owners felt the new unfair dismissal laws would lead to job losses, while nearly 60 per cent said they would increase labour costs.