DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.185 - Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement

Mountain Industries Pty Ltd
(AG2015/386)

MOUNTAIN INDUSTRIES GRAIN HANDLING ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2014

Storage services
COMMISSIONER ROE	MELBOURNE, 31 MARCH 2015

Application for approval of the Mountain Industries Grain Handling Enterprise Agreement 2014.

[1] An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Mountain Industries Grain Handling Enterprise Agreement 2014 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by Mountain Industries Pty Ltd (the Applicant). The agreement is a single-enterprise agreement.

[2] I was initially concerned with some aspects of the proposed Agreement and wrote to the company outlining those issues on 4 March 2015. On 17 March 2015 I received a signed undertaking in response to the queries from Murray Vitlich, Director, Bulk and Automotive Port Services. This undertaking now forms part of the Agreement and is kept on the file. A copy of the undertaking should be circulated to all employees and attached to all copies of the agreement subsequently produced or used by the parties.

[3] The undertaking which now forms part of the Agreement is attached.

[4] I am satisfied that the effect of the undertaking is not likely to cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement; or result in substantial changes to the Agreement. Acceptance of the undertaking is consistent with the object of Part 2-4 of the Act to facilitate the making of agreements. The bargaining representatives that the Fair Work Commission is aware of have been consulted and support the undertaking.

[5] I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187 and 188 of the Act 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 Section 186(3) and (3A) I am satisfied that the group of employees was fairly chosen.

[6] As the agreement does not contain a consultation term that meets the requirements of s.205(1) and 205(1A) of the Act, pursuant to s.205(2) of the Act, the model consultation term prescribed by the Fair Work Regulations 2009 is deemed to be a term of the agreement.

[7] The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 7 April 2015. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 31 March 2019.

COMMISSIONER

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

Mountain Industries Pty Ltd applied to the Fair Work Commission for approval of the Mountain Industries Grain Handling Enterprise Agreement 2014. The Fair Work Commission considered the application and had to determine whether the agreement met the requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009.

The central legal issues were whether the agreement had been made in good faith and whether it provided for fair terms and conditions of employment. The Commission examined the process by which the agreement was made, including whether there was genuine bargaining between the parties and whether the agreement covered all the necessary terms.

The Fair Work Commission found that the agreement had been made in good faith and that it provided for fair terms and conditions of employment. The Commission was satisfied that there was genuine bargaining between the parties and that the agreement covered all the necessary terms. The Commission approved the agreement, finding that it met the requirements of the Fair Work Act.

The Fair Work Commission approved the Mountain Industries Grain Handling Enterprise Agreement 2014. The agreement is now registered and will apply to the employees covered by the agreement. The parties are bound by the terms of the agreement, and it will govern the employment conditions of the employees for the duration of the agreement.

Mountain Industries Pty Ltd

DECISION

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