Longhill Group Pty Ltd

[2017] FWCA 4965

[2017] FWCA 4965

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2009
Sch. 3, Item 16 - Application to terminate collective agreement-based transitional instrument

Longhill Group Pty Ltd
(AG2017/4086)

LONGHILL GROUP PTY LTD AND THE CFMEU BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2005-2008

[AG849115]

Building, metal and civil construction industries
DEPUTY PRESIDENT MASSON	MELBOURNE, 22 SEPTEMBER 2017

Application for termination of the LONGHILL GROUP PTY LTD and the CFMEU Building and Construction Industry Enterprise Agreement 2005-2008.

[1] On 8 September 2017, Longhill Group Pty Ltd (Applicant) applied, pursuant to Schedule 3, Item 16 of the Fair Work (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2009 (Transitional Act) to terminate the Longhill Group Pty Ltd and the CFMEU Building and Construction Industry Enterprise Agreement 2005-2008 (Agreement). The Agreement covers the Applicant, the employees of the Applicant and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy (CFMEU) as specified in clause 2 of the Agreement. The Agreement has passed its nominal expiry date.

[2] The Agreement is a collective agreement-based transitional instrument to which Items 15 and 16 of Schedule 3 of the Fair Work(Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 2009 (Transitional Act) apply. The effect of Items 15 and 16 of Schedule 3 of the Transitional Act is that the termination of agreement provisions found in Subdivisions C and D of Division 7 of the Act apply to the Agreement as though a reference to an enterprise agreement included a reference to a collective agreement-based transitional instrument.

[3] Section 225 of the Act provides:

“225 Application for termination of an enterprise agreement after its nominal expiry date

If an enterprise agreement has passed its nominal expiry date, any of the following may apply to the FWC for the termination of the agreement:

(a) one or more of the employers covered by the agreement;

(b) an employee covered by the agreement;

(c) an employee organisation covered by the agreement.”

[4] Section 226 of the Act provides:

“226 When the FWC must terminate an enterprise agreement

If an application for the termination of an enterprise agreement is made under section 225, the FWC must terminate the agreement if:

(a) the FWC is satisfied that it is not contrary to the public interest to do so; and

(b) the FWC considers that it is appropriate to terminate the agreement taking into account all the circumstances including:

(i) the views of the employees, each employer, and each employee organisation (if any), covered by the agreement; and

(ii) the circumstances of those employees, employers and organisations including the likely effect that the termination will have on each of them.”

[5] The CFMEU is an organisation covered by the Agreement. In correspondence to my Chambers of 19 September 2017, the CFMEU advised that it does not oppose the application. There are no employees employed by the Applicant covered by the Agreement.

[6] Based on the material contained in the Applicant’s declaration filed with the application, I am satisfied that termination of the Agreement is not contrary to the public interest. Taking into account all of the circumstances including those in ss.226(b)(i) and (ii), I consider that it is appropriate to terminate the Agreement. There is nothing before me which raises public interest considerations which might militate against the termination of the Agreement. I am satisfied that it is appropriate to approve the termination of the Agreement, and I terminate the Agreement.

[7] The termination will operate from 22 September 2017.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

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<Price code A, AG849115  PR596317>