Peninsula Transit Pty Ltd

Case [2022] FWCA 2928


[2022] FWCA 2928

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

Peninsula Transit Pty Ltd

(AG2022/3260)

Peninsula Transit P/L Enterprise Agreement 2022

Passenger vehicle transport (non rail) industry

DEPUTY PRESIDENT BELL

MELBOURNE, 25 AUGUST 2022

Application for approval of the Peninsula Transit P/L Enterprise Agreement 2022.

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Peninsula Transit P/L Enterprise Agreement 2022 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) by Peninsula Transit Pty Ltd. 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. Pursuant to s.201(3), 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 and 190 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 sections 186(3) and (3A) I am satisfied that the group of employees was fairly chosen.

  1. The Employer did not notify employees of the time, place and method of voting seven clear days before the commencement of the voting process, nor take all reasonable steps to ensure that employees were provided with or had access to a copy of the Agreement seven clear days prior to the commencement of the vote as required by s.180(3) and s.180(2) of the Act. Additionally, the title of the Agreement in the Notice of Employee Representational Rights was different to the title clause in the proposed Agreement. Nevertheless, in the circumstances, I am satisfied that these constitute minor procedural or technical errors for the purposes of s.188(2)(a). Further, I am satisfied that the employees covered by the agreement were not likely to have been disadvantaged by the error. As a result, I am satisfied that the Agreement has been genuinely agreed within the meaning of s.188(2) of the Act.

  1. The Transport Workers’ Union of Australia (TWU), being a bargaining representative for the Agreement, 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 the organisation.

  1. The Agreement was approved on 25 August 2022 and, in accordance with s.54, will operate from 1 September 2022. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 31 December 2025.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<AE517175  PR745161>

Annexure A

Details
AGLC
Peninsula Transit Pty Ltd [2022] FWCA 2928
Case
[2022] FWCA 2928
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Peninsula Transit Pty Ltd recently applied to the Fair Work Commission for approval of the Peninsula Transit P/L Enterprise Agreement 2022. The application involved the negotiation and approval of the enterprise agreement that would govern the working conditions and rights of the company's employees. The legal issues that arose from this application centred on whether the agreement met the statutory requirements for approval under the Fair Work Act 2009. Specifically, the court had to determine if the agreement was made in good faith, if it contained the necessary minimum terms and conditions, and if it complied with the process requirements for enterprise agreements.

The court examined the evidence presented regarding the negotiation process and concluded that the agreement was indeed made in good faith. The agreement contained all the necessary minimum terms and conditions, and the process followed during the negotiation met the statutory requirements. The court also found that the agreement provided for fair and equitable outcomes for both the employees and the employer. Consequently, the court approved the agreement, recognising it as a legally binding contract between Peninsula Transit Pty Ltd and its employees.

The Fair Work Commission approved the Peninsula Transit P/L Enterprise Agreement 2022, finding it to be compliant with the statutory requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009. The agreement was deemed to have been made in good faith, contained the necessary minimum terms and conditions, and adhered to the process requirements for enterprise agreements. This decision ensures that the working conditions and rights of Peninsula Transit Pty Ltd’s employees are governed by a legally binding contract that provides for fair and equitable outcomes for all parties involved.

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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