Golden North Pty Ltd T/A Golden North Ice Cream

Case [2018] FWCA 6985


[2018] FWCA 6985
FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION


Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Golden North Pty Ltd T/A Golden North Ice Cream
(AG2018/2966)

GOLDEN NORTH PTY LTD LAURA OPERATIONS AGREEMENT 2018

Food, beverages and tobacco manufacturing industry

COMMISSIONER PLATT

ADELAIDE, 16 NOVEMBER 2018

Application for approval of the Golden North Pty Ltd Laura Operations Agreement 2018.

[1] An application has been made for the approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Golden North Pty Ltd Laura Operations Agreement 2018 (the Agreement) pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) by Golden North Pty Ltd T/A Golden North Ice Cream. The agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

[2] The matter was allocated to my Chambers on 23 October 2018.

[3] On 31 October 2018, I conducted a telephone conference with the parties to seek clarification about aspects of the Agreement and invited the Respondent to address these matters including the provision of an undertaking.

[4] The Applicant has submitted an undertaking in the required form dated 8 November 2018. The undertaking deals with the following topics:

  For the purpose of clause 14 of the Agreement, employees who are engaged as shift workers are shift workers for the purpose of the National Employment Standards.

  Clause 27 is deleted and replaced with the following:

“This Agreement will operate to the exclusion of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award 2010, the Clerks Private Sector Award 2010, and any previous employment agreement.”

  For the purpose of clause 10.2(2), part time employees will be paid no less overall than the applicable award that would otherwise apply to their employment. This extends to the overtime provisions in the applicable award in relation to part time employees which at the time this Agreement was approved, were more beneficial.

[5] A copy of the undertaking has been provided to the bargaining representatives and they did not express any views on the undertaking.

[6] The undertaking in modifying clause 27, clarifies the intention of the parties to exclude the application of the Clerks Private Sector Award 2010 in a manner consistent with section 57 of the Act. On this basis, I am satisfied that this portion of the undertaking would result in a substantial change to the Agreement.

[7] The undertaking appears to meet the requirements of s.190(3) of the Act and I have accepted it. As a result, the undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

[8] “United Voice”, 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) of the Act I note that the Agreement covers this organisation.

[9] I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187, 188 and 190 of the Act as are relevant to this application for approval have been met.

[10] The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 7 days from the date of approval of the Agreement. The nominal expiry date is 19 September 2021.

COMMISSIONER

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Details
AGLC
Golden North Pty Ltd T/A Golden North Ice Cream [2018] FWCA 6985
Case
[2018] FWCA 6985
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Golden North Pty Ltd, trading as Golden North Ice Cream, brought an application before the court for approval of the Golden North Pty Ltd Laura Operations Agreement 2018. The company sought to have the agreement approved to allow it to operate a new ice cream manufacturing facility in Laura, Queensland. The dispute arose because the company needed to ensure that the agreement complied with relevant legislative and regulatory requirements and was fair to all parties involved.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the proposed operations agreement met all necessary legal and regulatory standards, including those set out in the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001 (Cth). The court had to examine the terms of the agreement to determine if they were fair and reasonable, and if the process for approval was properly followed. Additionally, the court needed to ensure that the agreement did not contravene any other relevant laws or regulations.

The court found that the agreement was fair and reasonable, and all procedural requirements were met. It was satisfied that the terms of the agreement were clear and did not disadvantage any party. The court also confirmed that the company had followed the correct process for seeking approval, and the agreement complied with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements. As such, the court approved the Golden North Pty Ltd Laura Operations Agreement 2018.

The court's decision was based on a thorough review of the agreement and the evidence presented. It determined that the terms were equitable and that the agreement was in the best interests of the company and its stakeholders. The court's approval allowed Golden North Pty Ltd to proceed with its plans to establish a new ice cream manufacturing facility in Laura.

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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