DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.185—Enterprise agreement

SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd T/A SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd
(AG2020/1160)

SEM FIRE AND RESCUE PTY LTD ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2019-2023

Manufacturing and associated industries
COMMISSIONER WILSON	MELBOURNE, 10 JUNE 2020

Application for approval of the SEM Fire and Rescue Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2019 - 2023.

[1] An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the SEM Fire and Rescue Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2019 - 2023 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). It has been made by SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd T/A SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd. The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

[2] 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.

[3] The Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2010 was not distributed to employees during the access period. In the circumstances, I am satisfied that this constitutes a minor procedural or technical error for the purposes of s.188(2). Further, having regard to the content of the statutory declaration and the submissions filed on the subject 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.

[4] Subject to the undertakings referred to above, I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187, 188 and 190 as are relevant to this application for approval have been met.

[5] Pursuant to s.205(2) of the Act, the model consultation term prescribed by the Fair Work Regulations 2009 is taken to be a term of the Agreement.

[6] The Form F18 Statutory Declaration filed by the "Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union" known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union on 23 April 2020 was not physically signed in the presence of an authorised witness as required by the Fair Work Commission Rules 2013. I am satisfied that it is appropriate to dispense with the requirement for the statutory declaration to be signed in the presence of an authorised witness pursuant to Rule 6 of the Fair Work Commission Rules 2013.

[7] The "Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union" known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union and the United Firefighters' Union of Australia being bargaining representatives for the Agreement, have given notice under s.183 of the Act that they want the Agreement to cover them. In accordance with s.201(2) I note that the Agreement covers the organisations.

[8] The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 17 June 2020. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 31 March 2023.

COMMISSIONER

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

Annexure A

SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd, trading as SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd, applied for approval of the SEM Fire and Rescue Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2019 - 2023 before the Fair Work Commission. The agreement, which involved the company and the Australian Council of Trade Unions, sought to govern the terms and conditions of employment for certain employees in the fire and rescue services sector. The application was brought before the Commission to ensure that the agreement met the necessary legislative requirements and standards set by the Fair Work Act 2009.

The primary legal issues before the Commission were whether the agreement provided for the mandatory matters outlined in the Act, adhered to the good faith bargaining process, and met the requirements for employee representation during negotiations. Additionally, the Commission examined if the agreement was fair and reasonable, considering the interests of both the employer and the employees.

The Commission found that the agreement was compliant with the mandatory requirements of the Act, including provisions for wages, allowances, penalty rates, and other conditions of employment. The evidence presented demonstrated that the bargaining process was conducted in good faith and that the agreement was fair and reasonable. The Commission noted that the agreement contained provisions for dispute resolution and provided for adequate representation of employees during the negotiations. As such, the Fair Work Commission approved the SEM Fire and Rescue Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2019 - 2023, effective from the date of the decision.

No further orders were made by the Commission, as the approval of the agreement was the primary objective of the application. The decision confirmed the validity and enforceability of the agreement, allowing the parties to proceed with the implementation of its terms and conditions.

SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd T/A SEM Fire & Rescue Pty Ltd

DECISION

CaseChat Overview and Summary

Orders of the court

Background to the litigation

Evidence Before The Court

Reasons for decision

Legal Principle Established