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

[2014] FWC 5602

[2014] FWC 5602

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.236—Majority support determination

“Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union” known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU); Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia
v
Water Infrastructure Group Pty Ltd
(B2014/1214)

COMMISSIONER RYAN MELBOURNE, 15 AUGUST 2014

Application for a majority support determination: Water Infrastructure Group Pty Ltd - site affected 400 Blackrock Road, Connewarre, Victoria 3227.

[1] On 5 August 2014 the “Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union” known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) and the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU) (the Applicants) applied pursuant to section 236 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) for a majority support determination.

[2] The Applicants seek a determination that a majority of the employees who will be covered by a proposed single-enterprise agreement to be made with Water Infrastructure Group Pty Ltd located at 400 Blackrock Road, Connewarre, Victoria (the Employer) wish to bargain with their employer.

[3] Sections 236 and 237 of the Act set out the requirement for the making of a majority support determination:

“236 Majority support determinations

(1) A bargaining representative of an employee who will be covered by a proposed single-enterprise agreement may apply to FWA for a determination (a majority support determination) that a majority of the employees who will be covered by the agreement want to bargain with the employer, or employers, that will be covered by the agreement.

(2) The application must specify:

(a) the employer, or employers, that will be covered by the agreement; and

(b) the employees who will be covered by the agreement.

237 When FWA must make a majority support determination

Majority support determination

(1) FWA must make a majority support determination in relation to a proposed single-enterprise agreement if:

(a) an application for the determination has been made; and

(b) FWA is satisfied of the matters set out in subsection (2) in relation to the agreement.

Matters of which FWA must be satisfied before making a majority support determination

(2) FWA must be satisfied that:

(a) a majority of the employees:

(i) who are employed by the employer or employers at a time determined by FWA; and

(ii) who will be covered by the agreement;

want to bargain; and

(b) the employer, or employers, that will be covered by the agreement have not yet agreed to bargain, or initiated bargaining, for the agreement; and

(c) that the group of employees who will be covered by the agreement was fairly chosen; and

(d) it is reasonable in all the circumstances to make the determination.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(a), FWA may work out whether a majority of employees want to bargain using any method FWA considers appropriate.

(3A) If the agreement will not cover all of the employees of the employer or employers covered by the agreement, FWA must, in deciding for the purposes of paragraph (2)(c) whether the group of employees who will be covered was fairly chosen, take into account whether the group is geographically, operationally or organisationally distinct.

Operation of determination

(4) The determination comes into operation on the day on which it is made.”

[4] The AMWU submits it has been seeking the Employer’s agreement to enter into bargaining for a new agreement since approximately May 2014 and that the Employer had refused such requests.

[5] The Applicants have filed a confidential petition signed by 9 employees dated between 29 and 31 July 2014, which states that those employees want to bargain for a new enterprise agreement with the Employer and that they want the Applicants to represent them in such bargaining

[6] The Employer has filed a list of employees who would be covered by the proposed enterprise agreement.

[7] I have examined both the petition and the list of employees.

[8] On the basis of the material put before me, I am satisfied that the AMWU and CEPU are bargaining representatives for the employees concerned and are, therefore, capable of making this application for a majority support determination.

[9] I am satisfied that a majority of the employees employed by the Employer who will be covered by the agreement want to bargain.

[10] I am satisfied that the Employer has not yet agreed to bargain or initiated bargaining for the agreement.

[10] I am satisfied that the group of employees are distinct with the meaning of s.237(3A) and I accept that they have been fairly chosen as required by s.237(2)(c) of the Act.

[11] Given that all of the requirements of s.237(2) of the Act have been met, I am obliged to issue the determination in accordance with s.237(1). A determination will issue with this decision.

[12] As a result of the determination being issued, the Employer must now take all reasonable steps to issue a notice of employee representational rights to each relevant employee as required by sections 173 and 174 of the Act. I note that s.173(3) requires, in effect, that the notice be issued within 14 days of the determination being made.

COMMISSIONER

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