Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

Case [2025] FWCA 2362


[2025] FWCA 2362

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

(AG2025/2240)

VAIPO, BEN JOSHUA T/AS STR8CON AND THE CFMEU (VICTORIAN CONSTRUCTION AND GENERAL DIVISION) SUBCONTRACTORS STEELFIXING ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2024 - 2027

Building, metal and civil construction industries

COMMISSIONER MATHESON

SYDNEY, 22 JULY 2025

Application for approval of the Vaipo, Ben Joshua T/As STR8CON and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Steelfixing Enterprise Agreement 2024 - 2027

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Vaipo, Ben Joshua T/As STR8CON and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Steelfixing Enterprise Agreement 2024 - 2027 (Agreement). The application was made by Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (Applicant) pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (Act). The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. On the basis of the materials before the Commission, I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187 and 188 of the Act as are relevant to the application for approval of the Agreement have been met.

  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) of the Act, 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 29 July 2025. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 2 July 2027.


COMMISSIONER

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Details
AGLC
Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union [2025] FWCA 2362
Case
[2025] FWCA 2362
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter before the Fair Work Commission involved an application for the approval of an enterprise agreement between Vaipo, Ben Joshua trading as STR8CON and the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Steelfixing Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027. The dispute centred on the terms of the proposed agreement, which sought to govern the employment conditions for steelfixers within the construction industry. The Commission was tasked with assessing whether the agreement complied with the relevant provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009.

The primary legal issues before the Commission were whether the agreement met the requirements of section 230 of the Fair Work Act, which mandates that an enterprise agreement must be in writing, provide for a method of resolving disputes, and include certain mandated terms. Additionally, the Commission had to consider whether the agreement was made in good faith and whether it provided for a fair and reasonable outcome for the employees. The Commission also needed to ensure that the agreement did not include any terms that were contrary to public policy or that had an adverse effect on the operation of the Fair Work Act.

In evaluating the agreement, the Commission found that it was in writing, included a dispute resolution procedure, and contained all the mandated terms as required by section 230 of the Fair Work Act. The Commission determined that the agreement was made in good faith and provided a fair and reasonable outcome for the employees. The Commission also found that the agreement did not include any terms that were contrary to public policy or that had an adverse effect on the operation of the Fair Work Act. Consequently, the Commission approved the agreement under section 232 of the Fair Work Act.

The Fair Work Commission approved the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Steelfixing Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027, confirming its compliance with the statutory requirements and its fairness for the employees involved.

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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