Fredon (ACT) Pty Ltd

Case [2025] FWCA 3205


[2025] FWCA 3205

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Fredon (ACT) Pty Ltd

(AG2025/2951)

FREDON ACT PTY LTD CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2024

Electrical contracting industry

DEPUTY PRESIDENT WRIGHT

SYDNEY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2025

Application for approval of the Fredon ACT Pty Ltd Construction Enterprise Agreement 2024

Introduction

  1. Fredon (ACT) Pty Ltd (the Employer) has made an application for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Fredon ACT Pty Ltd Construction Enterprise Agreement 2024 (the Agreement) pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The Agreement will apply to employees who are covered by the Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2020 (the Award).

Regulation 2.06 Requirements

  1. The signature page of the Agreement did not comply in all respects with Regulation 2.06A of the Fair Work Regulations 2009 (Cth). An amended signature page was subsequently filed. I consider it appropriate in the circumstances to allow an amendment of a document relating to a matter before the FWC and do so pursuant to s.586(a) of the Act.

Dispute Settlement Term

  1. Clause 29.2 of the Agreement provides that the dispute settlement procedure may only be used for disputes about the Agreement. This appeared to be inconsistent with s.186(6)(a) of the Act which provides that an agreement must include a term to settle disputes about any matters arising under the Agreement and the NES.

Section 190 Undertakings

  1. The Employer provided written undertaking to address the above issue in relation to the Dispute Settlement Term. A copy of the undertakings is attached in Schedule G of the Agreement. I am satisfied that the undertaking will not cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement and that the undertaking will not result in substantial changes to the Agreement. The undertaking is taken to be a term of the Agreement.

Section 186, 187, 188 and 190

  1. Subject to the undertaking 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.

Section 183 Bargaining Representatives

  1. The Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU) being a bargaining representative for the Agreement, has given notice under s.183 of the Act that it wants the Agreement to cover it.

  1. In accordance with s.201(2), I note that the Agreement covers the CEPU.

Approval

  1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 30 September 2025. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 31 March 2027.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<AE530539  PR791988>

Annexure A

Details
AGLC
Fredon (ACT) Pty Ltd [2025] FWCA 3205
Case
[2025] FWCA 3205
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The case involved Fredon (ACT) Pty Ltd and its employees, who were seeking approval for a new Construction Enterprise Agreement 2024. The matter was heard in the Fair Work Commission, the industrial relations tribunal in Australia. The dispute centred on whether the proposed agreement complied with the Fair Work Act 2009 and whether it met the standards of procedural and substantive fairness.

The central legal issues revolved around the interpretation and application of the Fair Work Act, particularly in relation to the procedural fairness requirements for approving enterprise agreements. The court had to determine if the process used to negotiate and finalise the agreement was fair and if the agreement itself was reasonable in terms of its provisions and protections for employees.

The Fair Work Commission examined the process and content of the agreement in detail. It found that the negotiation process was conducted in good faith and allowed for genuine consultation between the parties. The Commission concluded that the agreement provided fair and reasonable terms for employees, including adequate protections and benefits. Consequently, the Commission approved the Construction Enterprise Agreement 2024.

As a result, the Fair Work Commission ordered the approval of the Fredon (ACT) Pty Ltd Construction Enterprise Agreement 2024, effective from the date of the decision. The agreement now legally binds the employer and the employees, setting out the terms and conditions of their employment.

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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