Qantas Airways Limited; Ms Michelle Portlock

[2018] FWC 7141

[2018] FWC 7141

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s 318 - Application for an order relating to instruments covering new employer and transferring employees

Qantas Airways Limited; Ms Michelle Portlock
(AG2018/6177)

Airline operations

DEPUTY PRESIDENT SAMS SYDNEY, 21 NOVEMBER 2018

[1] This is an application, pursuant to s 318 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the ‘Act’) filed by Ms Michelle Portlock and Qantas Airways Limited (‘Qantas’) (collectively referred to as the ‘applicants’), which seeks orders from the Fair Work Commission (the ‘Commission’) that a transferrable instrument, being the Qantas Ground Services Pty Limited Ground Handling Agreement 2015 (the ‘Agreement’) not apply to them if Ms Michelle Portlock transfers from Qantas Ground Services Pty Limited (‘QGS’ or the ‘old employer’) to the new employer, Qantas (s 311). Both companies are associated entities for the purpose of s 311(6) of the Act, within the meaning of s 50AAA of the Corporations Act 2001.

[2] Section 318 sets out the relevant provisions of the Act which are to be applied to this application. They are expressed as follows:

‘318 Orders relating to instruments covering new employer and transferring employees

Orders that the FWC may make

(1) The FWC may make the following orders:

(a) an order that a transferable instrument that would, or would be likely to, cover the new employer and a transferring employee because of paragraph 313(1)(a) does not, or will not, cover the new employer and the transferring employee;

(b) an order that an enterprise agreement or a named employer award that covers the new employer covers, or will cover, the transferring employee.

Who may apply for an order

(2) The FWC may make the order only on application by any of the following:

(a) the new employer or a person who is likely to be the new employer;

(b) a transferring employee, or an employee who is likely to be a transferring employee;

(c) if the application relates to an enterprise agreement—an employee organisation that is, or is likely to be, covered by the agreement;

(d) if the application relates to a named employer award—an employee organisation that is entitled to represent the industrial interests of an employee referred to in paragraph (b).

Matters that the FWC must take into account

(3) In deciding whether to make the order, the FWC must take into account the following:

(a) the views of:

(i) the new employer or a person who is likely to be the new employer; and

(ii) the employees who would be affected by the order;

(b) whether any employees would be disadvantaged by the order in relation to their terms and conditions of employment;

(c) if the order relates to an enterprise agreement—the nominal expiry date of the agreement;

(d) whether the transferable instrument would have a negative impact on the productivity of the new employer’s workplace;

(e) whether the new employer would incur significant economic disadvantage as a result of the transferable instrument covering the new employer;

(f) the degree of business synergy between the transferable instrument and any workplace instrument that already covers the new employer;

(g) the public interest.

Restriction on when order may come into operation

(4) The order must not come into operation in relation to a particular transferring employee before the later of the following:

(a) the time when the transferring employee becomes employed by the new employer;

(b) the day on which the order is made.’

[3] In the applicants’ Form F40 - Application for Orders in Relation to Transfer of Business, Ms Portlock (of Qantas) explained the background to the application. In brief, Ms Portlock has been employed by QGS for approximately 7 months. On 24 October 2018, she accepted a secondment with Qantas in the role of Customer Service Agent. During the secondment, Ms Portlock was required to take leave without pay from her previous role with QGS as Passenger Marshaller. Qantas has made a conditional offer to Ms Portlock for an ongoing position as Customer Service Agent, on the basis that the Commission orders that the Agreement will not cover either Ms Portlock, or Qantas, when she commences ongoing employment, and that Ms Portlock resign from her employment with QGS. Should the order be granted, her terms and conditions will remain largely similar, albeit with a slight reduction in annual salary (exclusive of superannuation contributions and shift penalties for the first six months of her employment).

[4] Having reviewed the filed documentation and considered the submissions of the applicants, I am satisfied that all the requirements of s 318 of the Act have been met. Specifically, I have taken into account all of the matters in s 318(3) in arriving at my decision and note, in particular, that Ms Portlock’s preference is to retain ongoing employment with Qantas, rather than taking leave without pay, notwithstanding it will result in a slight reduction in pay. Accordingly, I propose to issue orders sought by the applicants, which accompany the publication of this decision. Pursuant to s 318(4), and at the request of the applicants, the orders shall take effect from today.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

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