BHP Billiton has proposed six reforms in a submission to the Productivity Commission, which are aimed at ending its battles with unions.

BHP said stoushes must be settled before they put productivity and competitiveness in the Australian economy at risk.

Two of BHP’s proposed reforms are already before parliament, relating to right of entry provisions and access provisions for ‘greenfield’ sites.

It also wants the Fair Work Act changed so that it only contains enterprise agreement content for terms of employment, and no longer covers operational matters that could limit productivity.

BHP wants the industrial relations act to be “truly supporting” of an employee’s choice of representation, while allowing enterprise bargaining without the interference of unions.

The final two reforms are focussed on strike action.

BHP wants to protect employers from industrial action by ensuring that it is only allowedas a last resort.

It has also called for an amendment to Fair Work Act provisions that restore the limit on adverse action claims in matters of victimisation due to union membership status or activity.

BHP’s coal president Mike Henry said the reforms would work off one another.

“A good solution would not be to only implement one of two of them because it is as much about how the terms come together, that create the negative dynamic for productivity, as it is about each individual element,” Henry said.

The mining giant says it still suffers from the fallout of previous strikes.

“We continue to suffer the effects today, with supply from competing countries proving difficult to dislodge, extending the period of low prices,” Henry said.

“[Extended strikes] impede Australia's competitiveness and our reputation as a reliable supplier,” he said.

“Customers need reliable and economic supply, so events like this leave Australia vulnerable to losing market share.”