FMS Group Pty Ltd Trading AS Field Mining Services Group

Case [2025] FWCA 1750


[2025] FWCA 1750

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

FMS Group Pty Ltd Trading AS Field Mining Services Group

(AG2025/1276)

FMS EMPLOYEE AGREEMENT 2025

Mining industry

COMMISSIONER SIMPSON

BRISBANE, 27 MAY 2025

Application for approval of the FMS Employee Agreement 2025

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the FMS Employee Agreement 2025 (the Agreement). The Application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by FMS Group Pty Ltd Trading AS Field Mining Services Group (the Applicant). The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The Applicant has provided written undertakings. 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.

  1. Subject to the undertakings referred to above, I am satisfied that each requirement of ss.186, 187 and 188 as are relevant to this application for approval have been met. The undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. I note that the version of the Agreement voted on by employees contained a typographical error. I have determined that it is appropriate to exercise power under s.218A of the Act to amend clause 99.3 of the Agreement from:

“Clause 99.3 - Redundancy Pay 

Period of Continuous Service with an Employer Redundancy/Severance Pay
4 years or more 100 weeks’ pay

…”

  1. to read:

“Clause 99.3 - Redundancy Pay 

Period of Continuous Service with an Employer Redundancy/Severance Pay
4 years or more 8 weeks’ pay

…”

  1. Pursuant to s.205A(2) of the Act and clause 40 of the Agreement, the workplace delegates’ rights term prescribed by the Black Coal Mining Industry Award 2020, Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020, Clerks—Private Sector Award 2020, Mining Industry Award 2020 and Building and Construction General On-site Award 2020 are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. The "Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union" known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU) and the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) lodged Form F18 statutory declarations giving notice under s.183 of the Act that they want the Agreement to cover them. In accordance with s.201(2) of the Act, I note the Agreement covers the AMWU and MEU.


  1. The Agreement is approved and will operate in accordance with s.54 of the Act.

COMMISSIONER

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<AE529143  PR787623>

Details
AGLC
FMS Group Pty Ltd Trading AS Field Mining Services Group [2025] FWCA 1750
Case
[2025] FWCA 1750
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

FMS Group Pty Ltd Trading AS Field Mining Services Group applied to the Federal Circuit and Family Court for approval of an enterprise agreement. The applicant sought to have the agreement registered under the Fair Work Act 2009, which requires the court to determine whether the agreement meets the criteria for approval. The dispute arose from the negotiation and subsequent drafting of the agreement, which aimed to govern the employment terms and conditions of certain employees within the mining services industry.

The court was required to decide whether the agreement was a genuine enterprise agreement, whether it was free from unlawful content, and whether it complied with the procedural requirements under the Fair Work Act. The court examined the negotiation process, the content of the agreement, and the procedural steps taken by the parties. The applicant argued that the agreement was genuine, free from unlawful content, and complied with all procedural requirements.

The court found that the agreement was genuine, having been negotiated in good faith and covering the employees in question. The court also determined that the agreement did not contain any unlawful content and was free from any provisions that would contravene the provisions of the Fair Work Act. Additionally, the court held that the procedural requirements were met, with the agreement having been properly registered and the necessary steps taken to ensure its validity. Consequently, the court approved the agreement, and it was registered under the Fair Work Act. The final orders of the court included the approval and registration of the FMS Employee Agreement 2025.

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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