DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd

[2022] FWCA 136

[2022] FWCA 136

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd

(AG2021/9051)

Selleys Enterprise Agreement 2021

Manufacturing and associated industries
COMMISSIONER O'NEILL	MELBOURNE, 19 JANUARY 2022

Application for approval of the Selleys Enterprise Agreement 2021

1. DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd has applied for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Selleys Enterprise Agreement 2021 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) and is a single enterprise agreement.

1. The Notice of Employee Representational Rights (NERR) distributed to employees included a shorter title of the Agreement which omits the year. However, I am satisfied that the Agreement would have been genuinely agreed to but for the minor procedural departure from the requirements of the NERR under s.174 of the Actand that the employees covered by the Agreement were not likely to have been disadvantaged by the shorter title of the Agreement. Accordingly, I exercise the discretion conferred by s.188(2) of the Act.

1. The Employer has provided written undertakings. A copy of the undertakings is attached in Annexure A. I am satisfied that the undertakings will not cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement and that the undertakings will not result in substantial changes to the Agreement. The undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

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

1. The “Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union” known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) and the United Workers’ Union being bargaining representatives for the Agreement, have given notice under s.183 of the Act that they want the Agreement to cover them. In accordance with s.201(2) I note that the Agreement covers the organisations.

1. I observe that the following provisions are likely to be inconsistent with the National Employment Standards (NES):

·           Clause 14.1 – Notice of Termination by the Company;

·           Clause 14.2.2 – Notice of Termination by an Employee;

·           Clause 21.1 – Jury Service; and

·           Clause 27 – Compassionate Leave.

However, noting clause 5.3 of the Agreement and the undertakings given by the Employer, I am satisfied the more beneficial entitlements of the NES will prevail where there is an inconsistency between the Agreement and the NES.

1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 26 January 2022. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 3 December 2025.

COMMISSIONER

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<AE514639  PR737531>

Annexure A