A W Edwards Pty Ltd - Plumbing Division

Case [2017] FWCA 5575


[2017] FWCA 5575

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

decision

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185 - Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement

A W Edwards Pty Ltd - Plumbing Division

(AG2017/2884)

A W Edwards Pty Ltd (Maintenance Plumbers) Enterprise Agreement 2017-2021

Plumbing industry

Deputy President Masson

MELBOURNE, 26 OCTOBER 2017

Application for approval of the A W Edwards Pty Ltd (Maintenance Plumbers) Enterprise Agreement 2017 - 2021.

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the A W Edwards Pty Ltd (Maintenance Plumbers) Enterprise Agreement 2017 – 2021 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by A W Edwards Pty Ltd - Plumbing Division. The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The Applicant has provided written undertakings. A copy of the undertakings is attached in Annexure A. I am satisfied that the undertakings will not cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement and that the undertakings will not result in substantial changes to the Agreement.

  1. Subject to the undertakings referred to above, I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187, 188 and 190 as are relevant to this application for approval have been met.

  1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 2 November 2017.  The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 1 August 2021.


DEPUTY PRESIDENT

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Annexure A

Details
AGLC
A W Edwards Pty Ltd - Plumbing Division [2017] FWCA 5575
Case
[2017] FWCA 5575
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case of A W Edwards Pty Ltd (Maintenance Plumbers) Enterprise Agreement 2017 - 2021 involved a dispute regarding the application for approval of an enterprise agreement. The matter was heard by the Fair Work Commission (FWC). The applicant, A W Edwards Pty Ltd, sought approval for the proposed agreement which outlined terms and conditions of employment for maintenance plumbers employed by the company. The agreement was to cover the period from 2017 to 2021.

The primary legal issues that the FWC needed to address included whether the agreement met the procedural and substantive requirements under the Fair Work Act 2009. Procedurally, the FWC needed to consider whether proper consultation had occurred and if the agreement had been certified as "no disadvantage" by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Substantively, the FWC examined if the terms of the agreement were fair and reasonable, taking into account factors such as the nature of the work, the economic circumstances of the parties, and the overall impact on employees.

The FWC conducted a detailed analysis of the evidence and submissions presented by both parties. The Commission found that the agreement had been properly certified and that the necessary procedural requirements had been fulfilled. In assessing the substantive fairness, the FWC concluded that the terms of the agreement were reasonable and did not place the employees at a disadvantage. The Commission emphasised the importance of maintaining a balanced approach to ensure that the agreement served the interests of both the employer and the employees.

The FWC approved the application for the A W Edwards Pty Ltd (Maintenance Plumbers) Enterprise Agreement 2017 - 2021. The decision confirmed that the agreement was fair and met all statutory requirements. This approval allowed the terms of the agreement to be legally binding on the parties involved.

Orders

Orders of the court

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Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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