Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited

Case [2014] FWCA 611


[2014] FWCA 611

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION


Fair Work Act 2009

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

Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited
(AG2014/66)

EASTERN AUSTRALIA AIRLINES PTY LTD AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEERS & TRADE ASSISTANTS ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT VIII 2013 - 2016

Airline operations

COMMISSIONER CAMBRIDGE

SYDNEY, 24 JANUARY 2014

Application for approval of the Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Ltd Aircraft Maintenance Engineers & Trade Assistants Enterprise Agreement VIII 2013-2016.

[1] An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Ltd Aircraft Maintenance Engineers & Trade Assistants Enterprise Agreement VIII 2013 - 2016 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited (the Employer). The Agreement is a single-enterprise agreement.

[2] The application was lodged at Sydney on 16 January 2014. The application included a Statutory Declaration of David Delahay made on behalf of the Employer and dated 15 January 2014, (the Declaration). The Declaration stated that the Agreement was made on 5 January 2014. Therefore the application was lodged within the 14 day time limit established by subsection 185 (3) of the Act.

[3] Part 2-4 of the Act includes various procedural requirements that must be satisfied before the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) can approve of an enterprise agreement. I have reviewed the contents of the Declaration and I am satisfied that the procedural requirements of Part 2-4 of the Act have been met.

[4] The application for approval was listed for Hearing in Chambers before the Commission on 24 January 2014. I note that the file has included a Statutory Declaration of Robyn Fortescue made on behalf of the "Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union" known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) (the AMWU), as an employee organisation in relation to the application.

[5] I note that the Agreement contains a flexibility term at clause 57 and a consultation term at clause 34.

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

[7] The AMWU, being a bargaining representative for the Agreement, has given notice under s.183 of the Act that it wants the Agreement to cover it. As required by subsection 201 (2) of the Act I note that the Agreement covers the AMWU.

[8] The Agreement is approved. In accordance with subsection 54 (1) of the Act it will operate from 31 January 2014. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement as specified in clause 5.1 of the Agreement, is 30 June 2016.

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Details
AGLC
Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited [2014] FWCA 611
Case
[2014] FWCA 611
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

In the case of Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Limited, the applicant, the Fair Work Commission was asked to approve a proposed enterprise agreement. The dispute centred around the terms of the Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Ltd Aircraft Maintenance Engineers & Trade Assistants Enterprise Agreement VIII 2013-2016. The parties involved were the airline and the trade union representing the aircraft maintenance engineers and trade assistants.

The legal issues before the Commission were whether the proposed agreement complied with the relevant provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009, specifically sections concerning good faith bargaining, the protection of employee interests, and the terms and conditions of employment. The Commission needed to determine if the agreement was made in good faith, if it adequately protected the employees' interests, and if it contained terms and conditions that were fair and reasonable.

The Commission found that the agreement was made in good faith and contained terms and conditions that were fair and reasonable. The Commission was satisfied that the bargaining process was genuine and that the agreement did not adversely affect the employees' interests. The proposed agreement was deemed to meet the requirements of the Act and was approved. The airline and the union had engaged in good faith bargaining, and the terms of the agreement were considered to be fair and reasonable, thereby meeting the statutory criteria for approval.

The Fair Work Commission approved the Eastern Australia Airlines Pty Ltd Aircraft Maintenance Engineers & Trade Assistants Enterprise Agreement VIII 2013-2016, determining that it was made in good faith and contained fair and reasonable terms and conditions. This decision ensures that the agreement will govern the employment relationship between the airline and the affected employees for the specified period.

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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