The Australian Workers' Union

[2014] FWC 1229

[2014] FWC 1229

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.437 - Application for a protected action ballot order

The Australian Workers' Union
(B2014/535)

COMMISSIONER LEWIN MELBOURNE, 18 FEBRUARY 2014

Proposed protected action ballot by employees of Alcoa Australia Limited.

[1] On 17 February 2014, the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) made an application for a protected action ballot order pursuant to s.437 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). The AWU sought to ballot employees of Alcoa of Australia Limited (Alcoa) who are AWU members and who would be covered by a proposed Enterprise Agreement.

[2] I have decided to issue a protected action ballot order. 1 The reasons for the issuing of the Order are as follows:

Statutory Provisions

[3] The relevant statutory provisions are set out below:

437 Application for a protected action ballot order

Who may apply for a protected action ballot order

(1) A bargaining representative of an employee who will be covered by a proposed enterprise agreement, or 2 or more such bargaining representatives (acting jointly), may apply to the FWC for an order (a protected action ballot order) requiring a protected action ballot to be conducted to determine whether employees wish to engage in particular protected industrial action for the agreement.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply if the proposed enterprise agreement is:

(a) a greenfields agreement; or

(b) a multi-enterprise agreement.

Matters to be specified in Application

(3) The application must specify:

(a) the group or groups of employees who are to be balloted; and

(b) the question or questions to be put to the employees who are to be balloted, including the nature of the proposed industrial action.

(4) If the applicant wishes a person other than the Australian Electoral Commission to be the protected action ballot agent for the protected action ballot, the application must specify the name of the person.

Note: The protected action ballot agent will be the Australian Electoral Commission unless the FWC specifies another person in the protected action ballot order as the protected action ballot agent (see subsection 443(4)).

(5) A group of employees specified under paragraph (3)(a) is taken to include only employees who:

(a) will be covered by the proposed enterprise agreement; and

(b) either:

(i) are represented by a bargaining representative who is an applicant for the protected action ballot order; or

(ii) are bargaining representatives for themselves but are members of an employee organisation that is an applicant for the protected action ballot order.

Documents to accompany application

(6) The application must be accompanied by any documents and other information prescribed by the regulations.

[4] I am satisfied that the AWU is a bargaining representative of employees who will be covered by a proposed Enterprise Agreement, and therefore have standing to make the application under s.437(1) of the Act. This is not disputed by Alcoa. It is also uncontested by Alcoa that the application specifies the group of employees to be balloted, 2 the questions to be put to the employees to be balloted and includes the nature of the proposed industrial action.3

[5] The proposed Enterprise Agreement is not a greenfields agreement or a multi-enterprise agreement. 4 The application provides for the protected action ballot to be conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission.5

[6] I am satisfied that the employer received the Application as required by s.440 of the Act.

[7] Supplementary material was provided in the form of an affidavit by the AWU that contains detailed information describing the AWU’s attempts to reach an Enterprise Agreement with Alcoa on behalf of the employees who are to be balloted. I am satisfied that the AWU are genuinely trying to reach agreement with Alcoa accordingly.

[8] On 18 February 2014 my chambers received a phone call from Mr David Monahan, HR Business Partner with Alcoa informing the Commission that the Employer does not oppose the application.

Conclusion

[9] In these circumstances the following statutory provisions have application:

443 When the FWC must make a protected action ballot order

(1) The FWC must make a protected action ballot order in relation to a proposed enterprise agreement if:

(a) an application has been made under section 437; and

(b) the FWC is satisfied that each applicant has been, and is, genuinely trying to reach an agreement with the employer of the employees who are to be balloted.

[10] Having regard to all of the above, I must make an Order under s.443 of the Act. I will do so accordingly.

COMMISSIONER

 1   PR547936.

 2 S437(3)(a) Fair Work Act 2009.

 3 S437(3)(b) Fair Work Act 2009.

 4 S437(2) Fair Work Act 2009.

 5 S.441 Fair Work Act 2009.

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<Price code A, PR547934>