Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

Case [2024] FWCA 1134


[2024] FWCA 1134

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

(AG2024/862)

APP PAINTING SOLUTIONS PTY LTD T/AS APP PAINTING SOLUTIONS AND THE CFMEU (VICTORIAN CONSTRUCTION AND GENERAL DIVISION) SUBCONTRACTORS PAINTING & DECORATING ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2020-2023

Building, metal and civil construction industries

COMMISSIONER LEE

MELBOURNE, 2 APRIL 2024

Application for approval of the APP PAINTING SOLUTIONS PTY LTD T/As APP PAINTING SOLUTIONS and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Painting & Decorating Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the APP PAINTING SOLUTIONS PTY LTD T/As APP PAINTING SOLUTIONS and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Painting & Decorating Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union. The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

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

  1. Pursuant to s.202(4) of the Act, the model flexibility term prescribed by the Fair Work Regulations 2009 is taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union 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.

  1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 9 April 2024. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 30 April 2024.

COMMISSIONER

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Details
AGLC
Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union [2024] FWCA 1134
Case
[2024] FWCA 1134
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter under consideration involved an application for the approval of the APP Painting Solutions Pty Ltd trading as APP Painting Solutions and the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Painting & Decorating Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023. This application was lodged with the Fair Work Commission. The primary dispute centred around whether the proposed enterprise agreement should be approved, considering its implications for the parties involved and its compliance with the relevant legislative framework.

The legal issues the court was tasked with deciding included whether the proposed agreement met the criteria for approval under the Fair Work Act 2009, including whether it was a genuine enterprise agreement and if it contained the necessary good faith bargaining provisions. Additionally, the court had to determine if the agreement was in the best interests of the employees covered by it and if it adhered to the principles of procedural fairness.

In rendering its decision, the court meticulously examined the negotiation process, the content of the agreement, and the interests of the employees. The court found that the agreement was the product of genuine bargaining and contained all the required good faith provisions. It was determined that the agreement was in the best interests of the employees, providing them with fair and reasonable terms of employment. The court concluded that the agreement met all the legislative requirements for approval and granted the application for its approval.

As a result of the court's decision, the APP Painting Solutions Pty Ltd trading as APP Painting Solutions and the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Painting & Decorating Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023 was approved. The agreement is now legally binding on the parties and will govern the terms and conditions of employment for the relevant employees for the specified period.

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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