“Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union” known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU)

[2021] FWC 287

[2021] FWC 287

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.437—Protected action

“Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union” known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU)
(B2021/20)

DEPUTY PRESIDENT BINET PERTH, 21 JANUARY 2021

Proposed protected action ballot of employees of Altrad Services Pty Ltd.

[1] The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) has applied to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for a protected action ballot order (Application) pursuant to section 437 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)(FW Act).

[2] The Application was supported by a statutory declaration from Mr Simon Rushworth, Lead Organiser, AMWU.

[3] The Application seeks an order for a ballot to be conducted of employees from Altrad Services Pty Ltd (Altrad) who will be covered by the proposed enterprise agreement and who are members of, or represented by, the AMWU.

[4] On 20 January 2021, Altrad notified Chambers they did not oppose the issuing of an Order on modified terms agreed with the AMWU.

Consideration

[5] The FWC is obliged to issue a protected ballot order in the following circumstances:

“443 When the FWC must make a protected action ballot order

a. The FWC must make a protected action ballot order in relation to a proposed enterprise agreement if:

(a) an application has been made under section 437; and

(b) the FWC is satisfied that each applicant has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach an agreement with the employer of the employees who are to be balloted.

b. The FWC must not make a protected action ballot order in relation to a proposed enterprise agreement except in the circumstances referred to in subsection (1).

c. A protected action ballot order must specify the following:

(a) the name of each applicant for the order;

(b) the group or groups of employees who are to be balloted;

(c) the date by which voting in the protected action ballot closes;

(d) the question or questions to be put to the employees who are to be balloted, including the nature of the proposed industrial action.

d. If the FWC decides that a person other than the Australian Electoral Commission is to be the protected action ballot agent for the protected action ballot, the protected action ballot order must also specify:

(a) the person that the FWC decides, under subsection 444(1), is to be the protected action ballot agent; and

(b) the person (if any) that the FWC decides, under subsection 444(3), is to be the independent advisor for the ballot.

e. If the FWC is satisfied, in relation to the proposed industrial action that is the subject of the protected action ballot, that there are exceptional circumstances justifying the period of written notice referred to in paragraph 414(2)(a) being longer than 3 working days, the protected action ballot order may specify a longer period of up to 7 working days.

Note: Under subsection 414(1), before a person engages in employee claim action for a proposed enterprise agreement, a bargaining representative of an employee who will be covered by the agreement must give written notice of the action to the employer of the employee.

[6] Section 437 relevantly provides as follows:

“437 Application for a protected action ballot order

Who may apply for a protected action ballot order:

(1) A bargaining representative of an employee who will be covered by a proposed enterprise agreement, or 2 or more such bargaining representatives (acting jointly), may apply to the FWC for an order (a protected action ballot order) requiring a protected action ballot to be conducted to determine whether employees wish to engage in particular protected industrial action for the agreement.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the proposed enterprise agreement is:

(a) a greenfields agreement; or

(b) a multi-enterprise agreement.

(2A) Subsection (1) does not apply unless there has been a notification time in relation to the proposed enterprise agreement.

Note: For notification time, see subsection 173(2). Protected industrial action cannot be taken until after bargaining has commenced (including where the scope of the proposed enterprise agreement is the only matter in dispute).

Matters to be specified in application

(3) The application must specify:

(a) the group or groups of employees who are to be balloted; and

(b) the question or questions to be put to the employees who are to be balloted, including the nature of the proposed industrial action.

(4) If the applicant wishes a person other than the Australian Electoral Commission to be the protected action ballot agent for the protected action ballot, the application must specify the name of the person.

Note: The protected action ballot agent will be the Australian Electoral Commission unless the FWC specifies another person in the protected action ballot order as the protected action ballot agent (see subsection 443(4)).

(5) If A group of employees specified under paragraph (3)(a) is taken to include only employees who:

(a) will be covered by the proposed enterprise agreement; and

(b) either:

(i) are represented by a bargaining representative who is an applicant for the protected action ballot order; or

(ii) are bargaining representatives for themselves but are members of an employee organisation that is an applicant for the protected action ballot order.

Documents to accompany application

(6) The application must be accompanied by any documents and other information prescribed by the regulations.”

[7] It is not in dispute that the AMWU has standing to make the Application in its capacity as a bargaining representative. The notification time in relation to the Proposed Agreement is 29 November 2019. The Proposed Agreement is not a greenfields agreement or a multi-enterprise agreement.

[8] The Application specified the group of employees who are to be balloted.

[9] The AMWU have proposed that Democratic Outcomes Pty Ltd, T/A CiVS conduct the ballot.

[10] The Application specifies the question to be put to the employees who are to be balloted, including the nature of the proposed industrial action.

[11] The Application was accompanied by the documents and other information prescribed by the Fair Work Regulations 2009 (Cth).

[12] I am therefore satisfied that the Application has been made in accordance with section 437 of the FW Act.

[13] The FWC may only make the order sought if the FWC is satisfied that each applicant has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach an agreement with the employer of the employees who are to be balloted.

[14] The reference to the FWC being “satisfied” means that determining whether or not the requisite circumstance exists is a discretionary decision. The expression “has been, and is”, imports temporal considerations, both of which are to be considered. An applicant for a protected action ballot order must satisfy both.

[15] In Esso Australia Pty Ltd v Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union; Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia; The Australian Workers' Union 1the Full Bench stated:

“Whether an applicant ‘has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach an agreement’ is a question of fact to be decided having regard to all of the facts and circumstances of the particular case. Such a construction of s.443(1)(b) is consistent with the judgment of the Full Court in JJ Richards and with a number of Full Bench decisions of the Commission (see Total Marine; Pelican Point Power Limited v ASU; JJ Richards No.1; Alcoa; JJ Richards No.2; and Farstad” (references omitted)

[16] In Total Marine Services Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia, 2 a Full Bench of Fair Work Australia relevantly stated:

“[31] In our view the concept of genuinely trying to reach an agreement involves a finding of fact applied by reference to the circumstances of the particular negotiations. It is not useful to formulate any alternative test or criteria for applying the statutory test because it is the words of s 443 which must be applied. In the course of examining all of the circumstances it may be relevant to consider related matters but ultimately the test in s 443 must be applied.

[32] We agree that it is not appropriate or possible to establish rigid rules for the required point of negotiations that must be reached. All the relevant circumstances must be assessed to establish whether the applicant has met the test or not. This will frequently involve considering the extent of progress in negotiations and the steps taken in order to try and reach an agreement...”

[17] Both decisions stand for the proposition that a decision rule should not be adopted for the purposes of determining whether an applicant for a protected action ballot order has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach an agreement with the employer of the employees who are to be balloted. The entirety of the circumstances of the case must be taken into account.

[18] The AMWU provided evidence of the steps taken by them to bargain and of the progress of bargaining to date.

[19] In all of the circumstances I am satisfied that the AMWU has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach an agreement with Altrad.

[20] Pursuant to section 414 of the FW Act, where an employee is to engage in protected industrial action, their bargaining representative must give written notice of the action. Section 414(2) of the FW Act requires three working days’ notice, or any longer period specified in the protected action ballot order.

[21] There is no longer period specified in the protection ballot order, therefore the three working days’ notice applies.

[22] Having been satisfied that the requirements of section 437 of the FW Act have been complied with, the Application is granted and a protected action ballot order shall be issued in PR726315.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<PR726314>

 1   [2015] FWCFB 210.

 2   [2009] FWAFB 368.