Boral Resources (WA) Ltd T/A Boral Concrete (WA)

Case [2014] FWCA 7941


[2014] FWCA 7941
FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION


Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Boral Resources (WA) Ltd T/A Boral Concrete (WA)
(AG2014/9680)

BORAL CONCRETE WESTERN AUSTRALIA, CONCRETE DRIVERS’ ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2014

Cement and concrete products

SENIOR DEPUTY PRESIDENT WATSON

MELBOURNE, 11 NOVEMBER 2014

Application for approval of the Boral Concrete Western Australia, Concrete Drivers’ Enterprise Agreement 2014.

[1] An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Boral Concrete Western Australia, Concrete Drivers’ Enterprise Agreement 2014 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by Boral Resources (WA) Ltd T/A Boral Concrete (WA). The Agreement is a single-enterprise agreement.

[2] The application was not lodged within 14 days after the agreement was made. Pursuant to s.185(3)(b), in all the circumstances I consider it fair to extend the time for making the application to the date it was actually made.

[3] I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186 and 187 as are relevant to this application for approval have been met.

[4] In my view, the Consultation Procedure provision in clause 14 of the Agreement is not a consultation term which meets the requirements of ss.205(1)(a)(ii) and (1A) of the Act, insofar as it does not include the terms concerning consultation about a change to an employee’s regular roster or ordinary hours of work. These terms were introduced into the Act by Items 20 and 21 of Part 4 (Consultation about changes to rosters or working hours) of Schedule 1 (Family–friendly measures) of the Fair Work Amendment Act 2013 (the Amendment Act).Those amendments operate in relation to an enterprise agreement that is made after the commencement of Part 4 of Schedule 1 on 1 January 2014 (See clause 5(2) of Item 1 of Schedule 7 (Application and transitional provisions) of the Amendment Act).

[5] Section 205(2) of the Act provides that if an “enterprise agreement does not include a consultation term, the model consultation term is taken to be a term of the agreement”. The model consultation term is found in Schedule 2.3 of the Fair Work Regulations 2009.

[6] As required by s.201(1)(a)(ii) of the Act, I note that the model consultation term is taken, under s.205(2), to be a term of the Agreement.

[7] The Transport Workers’ Union of Australia being a bargaining representative for the Agreement, has given notice under s.183 of the Act that it wants the Agreement to cover it. In accordance with s.201(2), I note that the Agreement covers the organisation.

[8] The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54, will operate from 18 November 2014. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 1 March 2016.

SENIOR DEPUTY PRESIDENT

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Details
AGLC
Boral Resources (WA) Ltd T/A Boral Concrete (WA) [2014] FWCA 7941
Case
[2014] FWCA 7941
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Boral Resources (WA) Ltd T/A Boral Concrete (WA) applied to the Fair Work Commission for approval of the Boral Concrete Western Australia, Concrete Drivers’ Enterprise Agreement 2014. The Fair Work Commission was tasked with determining whether the agreement met the requirements under the Fair Work Act 2009. Specifically, the court had to assess if the agreement contained minimum terms and conditions as stipulated by the Act and if it was made in good faith and without coercion.

The legal issues that the Fair Work Commission needed to resolve were whether the agreement contained the mandated minimum terms and conditions and if it was genuinely negotiated and agreed upon by both parties. The Commission examined the negotiation process, the content of the agreement, and whether it aligned with the statutory minimum standards set out in the Fair Work Act 2009. The Commission also considered if there was any evidence of coercion or undue influence in the formation of the agreement.

After reviewing the negotiation process and the contents of the agreement, the Fair Work Commission found that the Boral Concrete Western Australia, Concrete Drivers’ Enterprise Agreement 2014 did indeed meet the requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009. The Commission determined that the agreement contained all the necessary minimum terms and conditions and was made in good faith without any evidence of coercion. Therefore, the Commission approved the agreement.

The Fair Work Commission ordered the approval of the Boral Concrete Western Australia, Concrete Drivers’ Enterprise Agreement 2014. This decision ensures that the agreement is legally binding and can be implemented, providing the necessary protections and terms for the employees 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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