Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Dormakaba Australia Pty Ltd

Case [2025] FWC 2000


[2025] FWC 2000

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.437 - Application for a protected action ballot order

Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia
v

Dormakaba Australia Pty Ltd

(B2025/1118)

DEPUTY PRESIDENT HAMPTON

ADELAIDE, 11 JULY 2025

Proposed protected action ballot of employees of Dormakaba Australia Pty Ltd

  1. This is an application by the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU or Applicant) made under s.437 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Act) for a protected action ballot order in relation to certain employees of Dormakaba Australia Pty Ltd (Dormakaba or Employer).

  1. On 11 July 2025, the Commission was advised that the Employer, in effect, did not object to the Application.

  1. In the circumstances, I have decided to determine the matter on the papers without holding a hearing.

  1. On the basis of the material before me, including the declaration of Gabriel Brinduse, Organiser, setting out the steps taken by the CEPU in bargaining with the Employer and that it has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach agreement with Dormakaba, I am satisfied that there is a notification time in relation to the proposed agreement and that all of  the requirements in s.443(1) of the Act have been met.

  1. The ballot is to be conducted by Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).

  1. For the purposes of s.443(3)(c) of the Act, the Commission has determined that the date by which voting is to close is 22 August 2025.[1] This also establishes the ballot period for the purpose of s.448A(2) of the Act.

  1. An Order has been separately issued in PR789161.

  1. This matter will be assigned to another Member of the Commission to conduct the s.448A compulsory conciliation conference. That Member will issue an Order requiring the attendance of all bargaining representatives in the proposed enterprise agreement at the conference. It is likely that Directions will also be issued to ensure that the parties attend the conference ready to conduct meaningful negotiations.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT


[1] This is, in effect, 30 working days from the making of the Order and was the period sought in the application.

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<PR789162>

Details
AGLC
Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Dormakaba Australia Pty Ltd [2025] FWC 2000
Case
[2025] FWC 2000
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The Fair Work Commission considered an application by the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU) for a protected action ballot order in relation to employees of Dormakaba Australia Pty Ltd. The application was made under section 437 of the Fair Work Act 2009. The employer, Dormakaba, did not object to the application, leading the Deputy President to decide the matter on the papers without a hearing. The CEPU sought the ballot order to facilitate industrial action due to ongoing difficulties in reaching an agreement with Dormakaba. The Deputy President was satisfied that all requirements under section 443(1) of the Act were met, based on the declaration from Gabriel Brinduse, an Organiser for CEPU, who detailed the union's bargaining efforts.

The legal issues the court had to resolve included whether the union had genuinely tried to reach an agreement and if the notification period for the proposed agreement was correctly established. The court reviewed the provided documentation and found that the union had indeed been genuinely attempting to reach an agreement with the employer. Additionally, the court determined the closing date for voting in the ballot to be 22 August 2025, aligning with the requested 30 working days from the making of the order. This decision also set the ballot period for the purposes of section 448A(2) of the Act.

The Deputy President issued an order for the ballot to be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission and assigned the matter to another Member of the Commission for a compulsory conciliation conference. This conference, detailed in PR789161, aimed to facilitate meaningful negotiations between the parties. The court's decision concluded with the issuing of an order requiring the attendance of all bargaining representatives at the conference, with potential further directions to ensure productive negotiations.

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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