Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd

Case [2025] FWCA 1171


[2025] FWCA 1171

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

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

Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd

(AG2025/806)

VALMONT COATINGS HEXHAM ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2024

Manufacturing and associated industries

DEPUTY PRESIDENT ROBERTS

SYDNEY, 4 APRIL 2025

Application for approval of the Valmont Coatings Hexham Enterprise Agreement 2024

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Valmont Coatings Hexham Enterprise Agreement 2024 (the Agreement). The Application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd (the Applicant). The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The materials filed with the application disclosed a minor discrepancy between the name of the proposed agreement in the Notice of Employee Representational Rights (NERR) and in the Agreement itself. The discrepancy was limited to the year referred to in the respective titles in the NERR and the Agreement. The Applicant submitted that this was an inadvertent error that did not impact on the genuine agreement of the employees and was not detrimental to them. The discrepancy is a minor technical error which, in accordance with s.188(5) of the Act, I am able to disregard where I am satisfied that employees were not likely to have been disadvantaged by the error. I am satisfied that this is the case here and will disregard the error.

  1. The Applicant has provided written undertakings (Annexure A). In accordance with s.190(4) of the Act the views of the bargaining representatives for the agreement were sought in relation to the 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. Having regard to the supporting material and the undertakings referred to above, I am satisfied that each requirement of ss186, 187 and 188 as is relevant to this application for approval has been met. The undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. I note that Clause 3.1 of the Agreement provides that where there is an inconsistency between this agreement and the National Employment Standards (NES), and the NES provides a greater benefit, the NES provision will apply to the extent of the inconsistency.

  1. Pursuant to clause 3.2 of the Agreement the terms of the Manufacturing and Associated Industries Occupations Award 2020, including clause 40A Workplace delegates’ rights, are incorporated into the Agreement.

  1. The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) lodged a Form F18 statutory declaration giving 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 the Agreement covers the AWU.

  1. The Agreement is approved and will operate in accordance with s.54 of the Act. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 4 April 2029.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<AE528590  PR785871>

Annexure A

Details
AGLC
Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd [2025] FWCA 1171
Case
[2025] FWCA 1171
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd applied to the Fair Work Commission for approval of the Valmont Coatings Hexham Enterprise Agreement 2024. The application involved workers employed at the Hexham facility of Valmont Coatings, a subsidiary of Industrial Galvanizers Corporation Pty Ltd. The parties were in dispute over certain terms of the proposed agreement, including issues related to pay rates, conditions of employment, and redundancy provisions.

The legal issues before the Commission were whether the proposed agreement met the requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009. Specifically, the Commission needed to determine if the agreement was made in good faith, if it provided for fair terms and conditions, and if it complied with the provisions of the Act. The Commission also had to consider submissions from relevant parties, including the employers and employees' representatives, on the fairness and appropriateness of the proposed terms.

In its decision, the Fair Work Commission found that the proposed agreement was made in good faith and provided for fair terms and conditions. The Commission noted that the agreement addressed the concerns raised by the employees' representatives and included appropriate provisions for redundancy. The Commission was satisfied that the agreement complied with the requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009 and approved the Valmont Coatings Hexham Enterprise Agreement 2024.

The Commission ordered that the agreement be registered and would be in effect from the date of the decision. The agreement would govern the terms and conditions of employment for the relevant workers at the Hexham facility until such time as it was varied or replaced by a new enterprise agreement.

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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