CHEP Australia Limited T/A CHEP Australia

[2019] FWCA 7990

[2019] FWCA 7990

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.185—Enterprise agreement

CHEP Australia Limited T/A CHEP Australia
(AG2019/3830)

CHEP WETHERILL PARK (NSW) SERVICE CENTRE ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2019

Storage services
COMMISSIONER LEE	MELBOURNE, 22 NOVEMBER 2019

Application for approval of the CHEP Wetherill Park (NSW) Service Centre Enterprise Agreement 2019.

[1] An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the CHEP Wetherill Park (NSW) Service Centre Enterprise Agreement 2019 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by CHEP Australia Limited T/A CHEP Australia. The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

[2] I note that the employer’s statutory declaration in support of the application for approval of an enterprise agreement (F17) indicates that employees were notified of the details of the vote via a written notice on 25 September 2019. I note that the vote commenced less than seven clear days later, on 7 October 2019. Also relevant is the fact that the F17 states that all employees that will be covered by the Agreement cast a valid vote to approve the Agreement. In Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union and Ors v CBI Constructors Pty Ltd, 1   the Full Bench confirmed that an employer must take all reasonable steps to notify relevant employees of the time, place and method of the vote at least seven clear days before the commencement of the vote, pursuant to s.180 (3) of the Act. Although it does not appear that employees were notified of the time, place and method of the vote seven clear days before the commencement of the vote, I refer to s.188 (2) of the Act and am satisfied that this error constitutes a minor procedural error, and that employees covered by this Agreement are not likely to be disadvantaged as a result of the error.2

[3] The Employer 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. The undertakings are taken to be a term of the agreement.

[4] 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.

[5] The National Union of Workers 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.

[6] The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 29 November 2019. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 4 March 2022.

COMMISSIONER

Annexure A

 1   [2018] FWCFB 2732.

 2   Huntsman Chemical Company Australia Pty Limited T/A RMAX Rigid Cellular Plastics & Others [2019] FWCFB 318.

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