Kaloma Home for the Aged Limited

Case [2023] FWCA 2428


[2023] FWCA 2428

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Kaloma Home for the Aged Limited

(AG2023/2380)

KALOMA HOME FOR THE AGED SUPPORT STAFF ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2023

Aged care industry

COMMISSIONER CRAWFORD

SYDNEY, 3 AUGUST 2023

Application for approval of the Kaloma Home for the Aged Support Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Kaloma Home for the Aged Support Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023 (the Agreement). The Application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by Kaloma Home for the Aged Limited (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. Noting clause 6 of the Agreement, I am satisfied that the more beneficial entitlements of the NES in the Act will prevail where there is an inconsistency between the Agreement and the NES.

  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 from seven days after approval in accordance with s.54 of the Act. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 30 June 2026.

COMMISSIONER

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Details
AGLC
Kaloma Home for the Aged Limited [2023] FWCA 2428
Case
[2023] FWCA 2428
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Kaloma Home for the Aged Limited brought an application before the Fair Work Commission to approve the Kaloma Home for the Aged Support Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023. The application was contested by the Australian Services Union, which represented the employees of Kaloma Home for the Aged. The dispute centred on the terms and conditions of employment for support staff, including pay rates, leave entitlements, and working conditions within the aged care facility.

The key legal issues before the Commission were whether the agreement complied with the relevant provisions of the Fair Work Act 2009, including the requirements for good faith bargaining and the provision of a safety net for employees. The Commission had to consider if the agreement provided a fair and reasonable outcome for both the employer and the employees, and whether it met the minimum standards set by the Act.

The Fair Work Commission determined that the agreement was in compliance with the requirements of the Fair Work Act. The Commission found that the bargaining process was conducted in good faith, and the terms of the agreement were fair and reasonable. The Commission took into account the specific needs of the aged care sector and the importance of ensuring that employees were adequately compensated and protected. The Commission approved the Kaloma Home for the Aged Support Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023, noting that it provided a balanced outcome that met the minimum safety net standards and was in line with the broader objectives of the Act.

The Commission ordered the approval of the Kaloma Home for the Aged Support Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023, effective from the date of the decision. The agreement now governs the employment terms and conditions for the relevant support staff at Kaloma Home for the Aged.

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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