Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

Case [2025] FWCA 1245


[2025] FWCA 1245

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185 - Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

(AG2025/954)

SMARTSCAFF PTY LTD AND THE CFMEU (VICTORIAN CONSTRUCTION AND GENERAL DIVISION) SUBCONTRACTORS SCAFFOLD YARD ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2024 - 2027

Building, metal and civil construction industries

COMMISSIONER PLATT

ADELAIDE, 15 APRIL 2025

Application for approval of the SMARTSCAFF PTY LTD and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Scaffold Yard Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the SMARTSCAFF PTY LTD and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Scaffold Yard Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027 (the Agreement) pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) by the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employee Union (the Applicant). The agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The matter was allocated to my Chambers on 11 April 2025.

  1. I note employees were not provided with a copy of the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 which is incorporated into the Agreement, however given the Agreement is a rollover, I am satisfied taking into consideration the Applicant’s submissions and s.188(5) of the Act, that the procedural or technical error is minor and that the employees were not likely to have been disadvantaged, and accordingly there has been a genuine agreement.

  1. There were concerns about omissions from the Delegates Rights Clause contained in the Agreement, however I note that the Agreement is read in conjunction with the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 which has the result of remedying any defect.

  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 this organisation.

  1. I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187, 188 and 190 of the Act as are relevant to this application for approval have been met.

  1. The Agreement is approved and in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 7 days after the date of approval of the Agreement. The nominal expiry date is 2 July 2027.


COMMISSIONER

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Details
AGLC
Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union [2025] FWCA 1245
Case
[2025] FWCA 1245
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter before the court involved an application for the approval of a specific enterprise agreement. The parties to the application were SMARTSCAFF PTY LTD and the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (Victorian Construction and General Division), which together proposed the Subcontractors Scaffold Yard Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027. The dispute centred on whether the agreement met the necessary legal standards and requirements for approval under the Fair Work Act 2009.

The court had to determine whether the proposed agreement was a "better off overall test" (BOOT) agreement, ensuring that the employees would be no worse off and at least some would be better off compared to the applicable award or safety net. The court also had to assess if the agreement complied with other statutory provisions, such as ensuring that it did not undermine the operation of the safety net and contained appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms.

In delivering the decision, the court examined the terms and conditions of the proposed agreement in detail. The court found that the agreement satisfied the BOOT requirements and met all other legal criteria for approval. The agreement was deemed to provide fair and reasonable terms for the employees, and it complied with the relevant statutory provisions. As a result, the court approved the Subcontractors Scaffold Yard Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027 for the period from 2024 to 2027. The final orders confirmed the approval of the agreement, allowing it to take effect as per the specified timeline.

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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