Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union

Case [2022] FWCA 4420


[2022] FWCA 4420

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union

(AG2022/5179)

FERCON CIVIL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING PTY. LTD. and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Earthmoving, Excavation and Drainage Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023

Building, metal and civil construction industries

DEPUTY PRESIDENT MASSON

MELBOURNE, 21 DECEMBER 2022

Application for approval of the FERCON CIVIL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING PTY. LTD. and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Earthmoving, Excavation and Drainage Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the FERCON CIVIL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING PTY. LTD. and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Earthmoving, Excavation and Drainage 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, Maritime, Mining and Energy 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, Maritime, Mining and Energy 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 28 December 2022. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 30 June 2023.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

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Details
AGLC
Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union [2022] FWCA 4420
Case
[2022] FWCA 4420
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The matter before the Fair Work Commission involved an application for the approval of an enterprise agreement between FERCON CIVIL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING PTY. LTD. and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Earthmoving, Excavation and Drainage Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023. The dispute centred on whether the proposed agreement met the necessary legal standards and was fair and reasonable under the Fair Work Act 2009.

The court was required to determine if the enterprise agreement complied with the requirements set forth in the Fair Work Act, specifically focusing on whether it was a genuine enterprise agreement, whether it was certified by an independent third party, and whether it satisfied the 'better-off, worse-off' test. This involved assessing whether the proposed terms and conditions of employment were better for the employees than what they would have under the applicable awards or if the employees would be worse off under the agreement.

The Commission examined the evidence and submissions from both parties, considering the overall fairness of the agreement. It was determined that the agreement was a genuine enterprise agreement and had been certified as such by an independent third party. Furthermore, the Commission found that the agreement met the 'better-off, worse-off' test, as the employees would not be worse off under the proposed terms and conditions. Therefore, the application for approval was granted, and the enterprise agreement was approved.

The final orders of the Commission were that the FERCON CIVIL CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING PTY. LTD. and the CFMEU (Victorian Construction and General Division) Subcontractors Earthmoving, Excavation and Drainage Enterprise Agreement 2020-2023 be approved and registered under the Fair Work Act 2009, effective from the date of the decision.

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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