Early poll is a real possibility: Shorten

Bill Shorten reckons there's going to be a federal election before the end of the year and the opposition leader has one message for the government: `bring it on'.

He told a Labor caucus meeting on Tuesday there was a real possibility parliament won't return from the winter break, starting on Friday, without going to an election first.

"If they want to make it an election about workers and a fair go in the workplace, I say `bring it on'," he said.