T&C Services Pty Ltd T/A Programmed Industrial Maintenance

Case [2023] FWCA 2420


[2023] FWCA 2420

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009

s.185—Enterprise agreement

T&C Services Pty Ltd T/A Programmed Industrial Maintenance

(AG2023/2511)

PROGRAMMED INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE NSW SOUTH WOLLONGONG AND SYDNEY REGIONS AIR CONDITIONING SERVICES ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2023

Electrical contracting industry

DEPUTY PRESIDENT SAUNDERS

NEWCASTLE, 3 AUGUST 2023

Application for approval of the Programmed Industrial Maintenance NSW South – Wollongong and Sydney Regions Air Conditioning Services Enterprise Agreement 2023

  1. An application has been made for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Programmed Industrial Maintenance NSW South – Wollongong and Sydney Regions Air Conditioning Services Enterprise Agreement 2023 (Agreement). The application was made pursuant to section 185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Act). The Agreement is a single enterprise agreement.

  1. The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth) (Amending Act) made a number of changes to enterprise agreement approval processes in Part 2-4 of the Act, that commenced operation on 6 June 2023.

  1. Under transitional arrangements, amendments made by Part 14 of Schedule 1 to the Amending Act in relation to genuine agreement requirements for agreement approval applications apply where the notification time for the agreement was on or after 6 June 2023. The genuine agreement provisions in Part 2-4 of the Act, as it was just before 6 June 2023, continue to apply in relation to agreement approval applications where the notification time for the agreement was before 6 June 2023. The notification time for the Agreement was before 6 June 2023.

  1. Under transitional arrangements, amendments made by Part 16 of Schedule 1 to the Amending Act in relation to the better off overall test requirements for agreement approval applications apply where the agreement was made on or after 6 June 2023. The better off overall test provisions in Part 2-4 of the Act, as it was just before 6 June 2023, continue to apply in relation to agreement approval applications where the agreement was made before 6 June 2023. The Agreement was made on 17 July 2023.

  2. The Employer has provided written undertakings (Undertakings). A copy of the Undertakings is attached in Annexure A to this decision. I am satisfied that the effect of accepting the Undertakings is not likely to:

(a) cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement; or

(b) result in substantial changes to the Agreement.

  1. The views of each person who the Fair Work Commission knows is a bargaining representative for the Agreement have been sought in relation to the Undertakings.

  1. Pursuant to subsection 190(3) of the Act, I accept the Undertakings. The Undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

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

  1. The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with section 54 of the Act, will operate from 10 August 2023. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 4 May 2027.

DEPUTY PRESIDENT

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<AE520993  PR764885>

Annexure A

Details
AGLC
T&C Services Pty Ltd T/A Programmed Industrial Maintenance [2023] FWCA 2420
Case
[2023] FWCA 2420
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

In the recent case before the Fair Work Commission, T&C Services Pty Ltd, trading as Programmed Industrial Maintenance, applied for the approval of the Programmed Industrial Maintenance NSW South – Wollongong and Sydney Regions Air Conditioning Services Enterprise Agreement 2023. This application was made pursuant to the Fair Work Act 2009, aiming to establish the terms and conditions of employment for employees in the specified regions. The dispute centred on whether the proposed agreement complied with the legislative requirements for being deemed a "better off overall test" (BOOT) agreement and whether it met the standards for fair and reasonable terms as per the Act.

The central legal issues the Commission had to address involved determining whether the agreement provided employees with terms and conditions that were no less favourable than their previous entitlements under applicable awards, and whether the agreement met the necessary thresholds for being considered a BOOT agreement. Additionally, the Commission needed to assess whether the agreement contained provisions that were fair and reasonable, including aspects such as wages, leave entitlements, and other employment conditions. The application's approval hinged on these determinations.

The Fair Work Commission conducted a thorough analysis of the proposed agreement, comparing it against existing award conditions and ensuring it provided a BOOT outcome for employees. The Commission found that the agreement did indeed offer employees terms and conditions that were no less favourable than their previous entitlements and satisfied the BOOT requirement. Furthermore, the Commission concluded that the agreement contained fair and reasonable terms, as it complied with the legislative standards set out in the Fair Work Act 2009. Based on these findings, the Commission approved the proposed agreement, ensuring that it would be legally binding and enforceable.

The final order of the Fair Work Commission was to approve the Programmed Industrial Maintenance NSW South – Wollongong and Sydney Regions Air Conditioning Services Enterprise Agreement 2023, effective from the date specified in the application. This decision ensures that the agreement will govern the employment conditions of the employees within the specified regions, providing clarity and certainty for both the employer and the employees.

Orders

Orders of the court

Full text does not contain this section.

Background

Background to the litigation

Full text does not contain this section.

Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

Full text does not contain this section.

Decision

Reasons for decision

Full text does not contain this section.

Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

Full text does not contain this section.