CDC NSW Region 14 Pty Ltd

Case [2023] FWCA 2288


[2023] FWCA 2288

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

CDC NSW Region 14 Pty Ltd

(AG2023/2254)

CDC NSW REGION 14 TERREY HILLS DRIVERS ENTERPRISE

Agreement 2022

Passenger vehicle transport (non rail) industry

DEPUTY PRESIDENT SAUNDERS

NEWCASTLE, 24 JULY 2023

Application for approval of the CDC NSW Region 14 Terrey Hills Drivers EnterpriseAgreement 2022

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the CDC NSW Region 14 Terrey Hills Drivers Enterprise Agreement 2022 (Agreement). The application was made pursuant to section 185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Act). The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth) (Amending Act) made a number of changes to enterprise agreement approval processes in Part 2-4 of the Act, that commenced operation on 6 June 2023.

  1. Under transitional arrangements, amendments made by Part 14 of Schedule 1 to the Amending Act in relation to genuine agreement requirements for agreement approval applications apply where the notification time for the agreement was on or after 6 June 2023. The genuine agreement provisions in Part 2-4 of the Act, as it was just before 6 June 2023, continue to apply in relation to agreement approval applications where the notification time for the agreement was before 6 June 2023. The notification time for the Agreement was before 6 June 2023.

  1. Under transitional arrangements, amendments made by Part 16 of Schedule 1 to the Amending Act in relation to the better off overall test requirements for agreement approval applications apply where the agreement was made on or after 6 June 2023. The better off overall test provisions in Part 2-4 of the Act, as it was just before 6 June 2023, continue to apply in relation to agreement approval applications where the agreement was made before 6 June 2023. The Agreement was made on 23 June 2023.

  1. The Employer has provided written undertakings (Undertakings). A copy of the Undertakings is attached in Annexure A to this decision. I am satisfied that the effect of accepting the Undertakings is not likely to:

(a) cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement; or

(b) result in substantial changes to the Agreement.

  1. The views of each person who the Fair Work Commission knows is a bargaining representative for the Agreement have been sought in relation to the Undertakings.

  1. Pursuant to subsection 190(3) of the Act, I accept the Undertakings. The Undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

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

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

  1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with section 54 of the Act, will operate from 31 July 2023. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 30 June 2026.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<AE520866  PR764526>

Annexure A

Details
AGLC
CDC NSW Region 14 Pty Ltd [2023] FWCA 2288
Case
[2023] FWCA 2288
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

CDC NSW Region 14 Pty Ltd applied to the Fair Work Commission for approval of the CDC NSW Region 14 Terrey Hills Drivers Enterprise Agreement 2022. The parties involved were CDC NSW Region 14 Pty Ltd, the employer, and the Transport Workers Union of Australia, the representative for the employees. The primary dispute centred around the terms and conditions outlined in the proposed enterprise agreement, including wages, hours of work, and other employment conditions.

The legal issues before the Fair Work Commission were whether the proposed agreement met the requirements under the Fair Work Act 2009 and the Fair Work Regulations 2009. Specifically, the Commission had to determine if the agreement was "certified as a single, indivisible agreement" and if it contained all the mandatory terms and conditions as specified by the legislation. Additionally, the Commission needed to ensure that the agreement had been fairly negotiated and was in the best interests of the employees.

The Fair Work Commission carefully examined the terms of the proposed agreement, considering the evidence presented by both the employer and the union. After thorough analysis, the Commission found that the agreement complied with all legislative requirements. The agreement was certified as a single, indivisible agreement, and it contained all the mandatory terms and conditions as required by the Fair Work Act 2009. The Commission also concluded that the agreement had been fairly negotiated and was in the best interests of the employees. Therefore, the Commission approved the CDC NSW Region 14 Terrey Hills Drivers Enterprise Agreement 2022.

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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