Stanlake Private Hospital Pty. Ltd. T/A Western Private Hospital

[2024] FWCA 453

[2024] FWCA 453

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185 - Application for approval of a single-enterprise agreement

Stanlake Private Hospital Pty. Ltd. T/A Western Private Hospital

(AG2024/2)

WESTERN PRIVATE HOSPITAL NURSES ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2023

Health and welfare services
COMMISSIONER CONNOLLY	MELBOURNE, 1 FEBRUARY 2024

Application for approval of the Western Private Hospital Nurses Enterprise Agreement 2023

1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Western Private Hospital Nurses Enterprise Agreement 2023 (the Agreement) pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act) by Stanlake Private Hospital Pty. Ltd. T/A Western Private Hospital (the Applicant). The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

1. The matter was allocated to my Chambers on 19 January 2024.

1. The notification time for the Agreement under s.173(2) was 4 September 2023 and the Agreement was made on 22 December 2023.  Accordingly, the genuine agreement requirements the Agreement is to be assessed under are those applying after 6 June 2023 and the better off overall test (BOOT) is that applying on and from 6 June 2023. [1] 

1. On 23 January 2024, the Employer was invited to address aspects of the Agreement including through the provision of an undertaking.

1. The Applicant has provided written undertakings, dated 24 January 2024, and a copy is attached in Annexure A. A copy of the undertaking has been provided to the bargaining representative(s) and I have sought their views in accordance with s.190(4) of the Act. The bargaining representative(s) did not express any view on the undertaking.

1. I am satisfied that the undertaking will not cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement and that the undertaking will not result in substantial changes to the Agreement, thus appearing to meet the requirements of s.190(3). The undertaking is taken to be a term of the Agreement.

1. The “Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation”, 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) of the Act I note that the Agreement covers this organisation.

1. I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187, 188, 190, 193 and 193A of the Act as are relevant to this application for approval have been met.

1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 7 days after the date of approval of the Agreement. The nominal expiry date is 24 January 2028.

COMMISSIONER

Annexure A

[1] The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth) made a number of changes to enterprise agreement approval processes in Part 2-4 of the Fair Work Act. Those changes broadly commenced operation on 6 June 2023, subject to various transitional arrangements that included those to effect described above.

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