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

Case [2023] FWC 819


[2023] FWC 819

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.437—Protected action

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

Otis Elevator Company Pty Ltd

(B2023/307)

DEPUTY PRESIDENT CLANCY

MELBOURNE, 4 APRIL 2023

Proposed protected action ballot of employees of Otis Elevator Company Pty Ltd

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

  1. On 4 April 2023, my Associate was advised that the Respondent 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 Ms Chelsea Hill of the Applicant setting out the steps taken by it in bargaining with the Respondent and that it has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach agreement with the Respondent, I am satisfied that there is a notification time in relation to the proposed agreement and that the requirements in s.443(1) of the Act have been met.

  1. The Applicant sought that a person other than the Australian Electoral Commission be the ballot agent for the protected action ballot. This course was not opposed by the Respondent. The person proposed in the application as the protected action ballot agent is Vero Engagement & Voting Solutions Pty Ltd (Vero). I am satisfied that Vero is a fit and proper person to conduct the ballot. I am also satisfied that Vero is capable of ensuring the secrecy and security of the votes and of conducting the ballot expeditiously. Vero has agreed to be the protected action ballot agent and is bound to comply with the Privacy Act 1998 with respect to the handling of the information relating to the protected action ballot.

  1. Therefore I appoint Vero as the protected action ballot agent.

  1. An order has been separately issued in PR760879.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<PR760878>

Details
AGLC
Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia v Otis Elevator Company Pty Ltd [2023] FWC 819
Case
[2023] FWC 819
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The Fair Work Commission (FWC) dealt with an application by the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (the Applicant) for a protected action ballot order in relation to certain employees of Otis Elevator Company Pty Ltd (the Respondent). The Applicant sought to conduct a ballot under section 437 of the Fair Work Act 2009, as it had been genuinely trying to reach an agreement with the Respondent without success. The Respondent did not object to the application, and the matter was decided on the papers without a hearing.

The legal issues before the Commission included whether the notification time for the proposed agreement had been met and if the requirements of section 443(1) of the Fair Work Act had been satisfied. The Commission also had to determine if Vero Engagement & Voting Solutions Pty Ltd was a fit and proper person to act as the ballot agent and if it could ensure the secrecy and security of the votes and conduct the ballot expeditiously. The Respondent did not oppose the Applicant's proposed ballot agent, Vero.

In its decision, the Commission found that the notification time in relation to the proposed agreement had been met and that the requirements in section 443(1) of the Act had been satisfied. The Commission was satisfied that Vero was a fit and proper person to conduct the ballot and could ensure the secrecy and security of the votes and conduct the ballot expeditiously. Vero agreed to be the protected action ballot agent and was bound to comply with the Privacy Act 1998 in relation to the handling of the information. The Commission appointed Vero as the protected action ballot agent.

The Commission issued a separate order in PR760879 appointing Vero as the ballot agent.

Orders

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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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