The Australian Workers' Union v Grange Resources Limited T/A Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd

[2015] FWC 1181

[2015] FWC 1181

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

STATEMENT

Fair Work Act 2009
s.739—Dispute resolution

The Australian Workers’ Union
v
Grange Resources Limited T/A Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd
(C2014/8324)

Tasmania
COMMISSIONER LEE	BURNIE, 18 FEBRUARY 2015

Application for the Fair Work Commission to deal with a dispute pursuant to the Grange Resources Tasmania Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2013.

[1] The Australian Workers’ Union (the AWU) notified a dispute on 22 December 2014 regarding the wage increase to be paid under clause 13 of the Grange Resources Tasmania Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2013 (the Agreement).

[2] The parties were unable to reach an agreement on the quantum of the pay increase to be paid for the 2015 year.

[3] At the request of the parties, I conducted a conciliation conference in Burnie today. The conference was attended by various representatives of the AWU, the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia and Grange Resources Limited T/A Grange Resources (Tasmania) Pty Ltd.

[4] Both the unions and the company provided a great deal of information to support their particular bargaining positions. I acknowledge the quality of the information presented by both parties.

[5] After a period of negotiation over a number of hours, both sides negotiated in good faith and reached a compromised position.

[6] That position is that the increase in wages to be applied with effect from 1 January 2015 is 1.6%. This amount is in satisfaction of the review of rates of pay for January 2015 contemplated by clause 13 of the Agreement.

[7] Any increase to be paid from January 2016 will be negotiated on or around that time.

[8] I have advised the parties that, having had the benefit of the information provided by all sides during the conciliation, I consider the outcome to be a sensible and reasonable one in the context of the current environment as it relates to the operations of Grange Resources.

[9] Accordingly, I recommend the agreed outcome be formalised and the pay increases made with retrospective effect to 1 January 2015 as soon as possible.

COMMISSIONER

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