DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.185—Enterprise agreement

Country Press Australia Incorporated
(AG2018/770)

JOURNALISTS’ COUNTRY NON-DAILY NEWSPAPERS (CPA) AGREEMENT 2017

Journalism
COMMISSIONER LEE	MELBOURNE, 17 AUGUST 2018

Application for approval of the Journalists’ Country Non-Daily Newspapers (CPA) Agreement 2017.

[1] An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Journalists' Country Non-Daily Newspapers (CPA) Agreement 2017 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by Country Press Australia Incorporated. The agreement is a multi-enterprise agreement.

[2] On the basis of the material contained in the application and accompanying statutory declarations, 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.

[3] The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance 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) and based on the statutory declaration provided by the organisation, I note that the Agreement covers the organisation.

[4] The Agreement was approved on 17 August 2018 and, in accordance with s.54, will operate from 24 August 2018. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 31 March 2020.

COMMISSIONER

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Country Press Australia Incorporated applied for approval of the Journalists’ Country Non-Daily Newspapers (CPA) Agreement 2017. The application was brought before the Fair Work Commission, as it is the body responsible for approving and certifying agreements under the Fair Work Act 2009. The primary parties involved in this dispute were Country Press Australia Incorporated, representing the interests of employers in the country non-daily newspaper industry, and the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, representing the interests of the journalists working in this sector. The dispute centred around the terms and conditions of employment outlined in the proposed agreement, specifically whether the agreement was fair and appropriate in terms of pay, conditions, and dispute resolution mechanisms.

The legal issues that the Fair Work Commission was required to determine were whether the proposed agreement met the criteria for approval under section 233 of the Fair Work Act. This involved assessing whether the agreement would provide for fair and equitable terms and conditions of employment, and whether it was consistent with the Act's objectives of creating a productive workplace relations system. The Commission also had to consider whether the agreement appropriately balanced the interests of both employers and employees and whether it provided an efficient mechanism for resolving disputes.

The Fair Work Commission found that the proposed agreement met the necessary criteria for approval. The Commission noted that the agreement provided for fair and reasonable terms and conditions of employment, taking into account the specific nature of the country non-daily newspaper industry. It was also found that the agreement appropriately balanced the interests of both employers and employees and included efficient mechanisms for resolving disputes. Furthermore, the Commission was satisfied that the agreement was consistent with the objectives of the Fair Work Act, including promoting high levels of employment and productivity.

As a result of the Commission's findings, the application for approval of the Journalists’ Country Non-Daily Newspapers (CPA) Agreement 2017 was approved. This decision ensures that the terms and conditions of employment for journalists working in the country non-daily newspaper industry are regulated by a fair and appropriate agreement, which in turn supports a productive and harmonious workplace relations system.

Country Press Australia Incorporated

DECISION

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Orders of the court

Background to the litigation

Evidence Before The Court

Reasons for decision

Legal Principle Established