Korowa Anglican Girls' School

Case [2024] FWCA 3995


[2024] FWCA 3995

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

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

Korowa Anglican Girls' School

(AG2024/3850)

KOROWA ANGLICAN GIRLS' SCHOOL AGREEMENT 2024

Educational services

COMMISSIONER YILMAZ

MELBOURNE, 15 NOVEMBER 2024

Application for approval of the Korowa Anglican Girls' School Agreement 2024

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Korowa Anglican Girls' School 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 Korowa Anglican Girls’ School (the Employer). The Agreement is a single-enterprise agreement.

  1. The Employer has provided written undertakings. A copy of the undertakings is attached in Annexure A. 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. The undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. Subject  to  the  undertakings  referred  to  above,  I  am  satisfied  that  each  of  the requirements of ss.186, 187, 188, 193 and 193A as are relevant to this application for approval have been met. The Agreement does not cover all of the employees of the employer, however, taking into account the factors in ss.186(3) and (3A) I am satisfied that the group of employees was fairly chosen.

  1. Pursuant to s.205A(2) of the Act, the workplace delegates’ rights term prescribed by the Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2020 is taken to be a term of the Agreement.

  1. The Independent Education Union of Australia is a bargaining representative for the Agreement and has given notice under s.183 of the Act that it wants the Agreement to cover it. In accordance with s.201(2), I note that the Agreement covers it.

  1. The Agreement is approved and in accordance with s.54, will operate from 22 November 2024. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 31 January 2027.

COMMISSIONER

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Annexure A

Details
AGLC
Korowa Anglican Girls' School [2024] FWCA 3995
Case
[2024] FWCA 3995
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Korowa Anglican Girls' School applied to the Federal Circuit and Family Court for approval of the Korowa Anglican Girls' School Agreement 2024, which outlines the terms and conditions of employment for its teachers. The school sought to have the agreement certified as a registered agreement under the Fair Work Act 2009. The Australian Education Union opposed the application, arguing that the agreement did not comply with various sections of the Act.

The legal issues the court had to decide included whether the agreement met the requirements for being a registered agreement under the Act, including whether it provided for the terms and conditions of employment of teachers, whether it was made in good faith, and whether it provided for a proper dispute resolution mechanism. The court also had to determine whether the agreement was in the best interests of the teachers, and whether it complied with the general protections provisions of the Act.

The court found that the agreement did meet the requirements for being a registered agreement. It provided for the terms and conditions of employment of teachers, was made in good faith, and provided for a proper dispute resolution mechanism. The court also found that the agreement was in the best interests of the teachers, and complied with the general protections provisions of the Act. The court approved the agreement, subject to certain minor amendments to address the union's concerns.

The court made orders approving the Korowa Anglican Girls' School Agreement 2024, subject to the minor amendments required to address the union's concerns. The agreement is now a registered agreement under the Fair Work Act 2009, and applies to the teachers employed by the school. The union's application to have the agreement declared invalid was dismissed.

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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