v Albury Wodonga Health (Wodonga Hospital) & Others
[2024] FWC 1401
•29 MAY 2024
| [2024] FWC 1401 |
| FAIR WORK COMMISSION |
| DECISION |
Fair Work Act 2009
s.459 - Application to extend the 30 day period in which industrial action is authorised by protected action ballot
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
v
Albury Wodonga Health (Wodonga Hospital) & Others
(B2024/585 – 677, B2024/679 – 689 and B2024/699)
| DEPUTY PRESIDENT HAMPTON | ADELAIDE, 29 MAY 2024 |
Applications to extend the 30-day period in relation to relevant matter numbers B2024/280 to 385
This Decision concerns the declaration of the results of 105 protected action ballots outlined in Annexure A that were conducted in matter numbers B2024/280 to 385 and declared on 30 April 2024.
Each of these protected action ballots relate to a Victorian public health employer that is authorised to bargain together by way of a Single Interest Employer Authorisation[1] (Authorisation) issued by the Fair Work Commission on 6 March 2024 (collectively the Employers).
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) has made a separate application pursuant to s.459(3) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Act) in relation to each protected action ballot order set out in Annexure A. The applications seek to extend the 30-day period in which industrial action is authorised by the relevant ballot, by a further 30 days.
I observe for completeness that the ANMF has not made the application in relation to the protected action ballot (PR773089) held in matter number B2024/373, relating to Ranges Community Health (trading as Inspiro).
Section 459 of the Act relevantly provides as follows:
“(1) Industrial action by employees is authorised by a protected action ballot if:
(a) the action was the subject of the ballot; and
(b) at least 50% of the employees on the roll of voters for the ballot voted in the ballot; and
(c) more than 50% of the valid votes were votes approving the action; and
(d) the action commences:
(i) during the 30-day period starting on the date of the declaration of the results of the ballot; or
(ii) if the FWC has extended that period under subsection (3)—during the extended period.
Note: Under Division 2, industrial action by employees for a proposed enterprise agreement (other than employee response action) is not protected industrial action unless it has been authorised in advance by a protected action ballot.
… …
(3) The FWC may extend the 30-day period referred to in subparagraph (1)(d)(i) by up to 30 days if:
(a) an applicant for the protected action ballot order applies to the FWC for the period to be extended; and
(b) the period has not previously been extended.”
The applications variously contend that each of the relevant requirements have been met and that the periods should be extended by a further 30 days in each case. This includes that the relevant periods have not previously been extended.
The Victorian Hospitals’ Industrial Association, which is authorised to act on behalf of each of the Employers, has advised the Commission that it does not object to the applications.
I am satisfied that the relevant requirements of the Act have been met and that each of the applications should be granted.
Accordingly, pursuant to section 459(3) of the Act, I order that the 30-day period for the commencement of protected industrial action for eligible employees who were subject to the ballots set out in Annexure A and are employed by the relevant Employers, be extended in each case by a further 30 days.
This order will operate on and from 30 May 2024.
I observe that given that bargaining under the Authorisation continues, and no new enterprise agreement has yet been reached, it is open to one or more of the parties to seek the further assistance of the Commission under s.240 of the Act.
DEPUTY PRESIDENT
Annexure A
| Section 459(3) matter number | Original PABO matter number | PABO print number | Employer Name on the relevant Application |
| B2024/585 | B2024/280 | 772947 | Albury Wodonga Health (Wodonga Hospital)) |
| B2024/586 | B2024/281 | 772948 | Alexandra District Health/Alexandra District Hospital |
| B2024/587 | B2024/282 | 772949 | Alfred Health |
| B2024/588 | B2024/283 | 772951 | Alpine Health |
| B2024/589 | B2024/284 | 772961 | Austin Health |
| B2024/590 | B2024/285 | 772962 | Bairnsdale Regional Health Service |
| B2024/591 | B2024/286 | 772963 | Barwon Health |
| B2024/592 | B2024/287 | 772965 | Bass Coast Health |
| B2024/593 | B2024/288 | 772940 | Beaufort and Skipton Health Service |
| B2024/594 | B2024/289 | 772966 | Beechworth Health Service |
| B2024/595 | B2024/290 | 772967 | Benalla Health |
| B2024/596 | B2024/291 | 772968 | Bendigo Health |
| B2024/597 | B2024/292 | 772969 | Boort District Health |
| B2024/598 | B2024/293 | 772970 | Calvary Health Bethlehem Hospital Limited |
| B2024/599 | B2024/294 | 772972 | Casterton Memorial Hospital |
| B2024/600 | B2024/295 | 772973 | Central Gippsland Health Service |
| B2024/601 | B2024/296 | 772974 | Central Highlands Rural Health |
| B2024/602 | B2024/297 | 772975 | Cohuna District Hospital |
| B2024/603 | B2024/298 | 772977 | Colac Area Health |
| B2024/604 | B2024/299 | 772978 | Corryong Health |
| B2024/605 | B2024/300 | 772979 | Darlingford Upper Goulburn Nursing Home |
| B2024/606 | B2024/301 | 772980 | Dental Health Services Victoria |
| B2024/607 | B2024/302 | 772981 | Dhelkaya Health |
| B2024/608 | B2024/303 | 772982 | East Grampians Health Services |
| B2024/609 | B2024/304 | 772983 | East Wimmera Health Service |
| B2024/610 | B2024/305 | 772984 | Eastern Health |
| B2024/611 | B2024/306 | 772985 | Echuca Regional Health |
| B2024/612 | B2024/307 | 772992 | Gippsland Southern Health Service |
| B2024/613 | B2024/308 | 772993 | Goulburn Valley Health |
| B2024/614 | B2024/309 | 772994 | Grampians Health |
| B2024/615 | B2024/310 | 772995 | Great Ocean Road Health |
| B2024/616 | B2024/311 | 772996 | Heathcote Health |
| B2024/617 | B2024/312 | 772997 | Hesse Rural Health Service |
| B2024/618 | B2024/313 | 772998 | Heywood Rural Health |
| B2024/619 | B2024/314 | 772999 | Indigo North Health Inc |
| B2024/620 | B2024/315 | 773000 | Inglewood & District Health Service |
| B2024/621 | B2024/316 | 773001 | Red Cliffs and Community Aged Care Services Inc (Trading as Jacaranda Village) |
| B2024/622 | B2024/317 | 773002 | Kerang District Health |
| B2024/623 | B2024/318 | 773003 | Kooweerup Regional Health Service |
| B2024/624 | B2024/319 | 772941 | Kyabram District Health Services |
| B2024/625 | B2024/320 | 772942 | Latrobe Regional Hospital |
| B2024/626 | B2024/321 | 772943 | Lyndoch Living Limited |
| B2024/627 | B2024/322 | 773004 | Mallee Track Health and Community Service |
| B2024/628 | B2024/323 | 773005 | Mansfield District Hospital |
| B2024/629 | B2024/324 | 773006 | Maryborough District Health Service |
| B2024/630 | B2024/325 | 773007 | Melbourne Health |
| B2024/631 | B2024/326 | 773008 | Mercy Hospitals Victoria Ltd |
| B2024/632 | B2024/327 | 773009 | Mildura Base Public Hospital |
| B2024/633 | B2024/328 | 773010 | Monash Health |
| B2024/634 | B2024/329 | 773011 | Moyne Health Services |
| B2024/635 | B2024/330 | 773012 | NCN Health |
| B2024/636 | B2024/331 | 773013 | Northeast Health Wangaratta |
| B2024/637 | B2024/332 | 773014 | Northern Health |
| B2024/638 | B2024/333 | 773015 | Omeo District Health |
| B2024/639 | B2024/334 | 773016 | Orbost Regional Health |
| B2024/640 | B2024/335 | 773017 | Peninsula Health |
| B2024/641 | B2024/336 | 773018 | Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute (Trading as Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre) |
| B2024/642 | B2024/337 | 773019 | Portland District Health |
| B2024/643 | B2024/338 | 773020 | The Queen Elizabeth Centre |
| B2024/644 | B2024/339 | 773021 | Robinvale District Health Services |
| B2024/645 | B2024/340 | 773022 | Rochester & Elmore District Health Service |
| B2024/646 | B2024/341 | 773023 | The Royal Children's Hospital |
| B2024/647 | B2024/342 | 773024 | The Royal Victorian Eye & Ear Hospital |
| B2024/648 | B2024/343 | 773025 | The Royal Women's Hospital |
| B2024/649 | B2024/344 | 773026 | Rural Northwest Health |
| B2024/650 | B2024/345 | 773027 | Seymour Health |
| B2024/651 | B2024/346 | 773029 | South Gippsland Hospital |
| B2024/652 | B2024/347 | 773030 | South West Healthcare |
| B2024/653 | B2024/348 | 773032 | St Vincent's Hospital (Melbourne) Limited |
| B2024/654 | B2024/349 | 773033 | Swan Hill District Health |
| B2024/655 | B2024/350 | 773034 | Tallangatta Health Service |
| B2024/656 | B2024/351 | 773035 | Terang and Mortlake Health Service |
| B2024/657 | B2024/352 | 773036 | Timboon & District Health Care Service |
| B2024/658 | B2024/353 | 772944 | Tweddle Child & Family Health Service |
| B2024/659 | B2024/354 | 773037 | West Gippsland Healthcare Group |
| B2024/660 | B2024/355 | 773038 | West Wimmera Health Service |
| B2024/661 | B2024/356 | 773039 | Western District Health Service |
| B2024/662 | B2024/357 | 773040 | Western Health |
| B2024/663 | B2024/358 | 773041 | Yarram & District Health Service |
| B2024/664 | B2024/359 | 773071 | Yarrawonga Health |
| B2024/665 | B2024/360 | 773072 | Yea and District Memorial Hospital |
| B2024/666 | B2024/361 | 773073 | Access Health and Community |
| B2024/667 | B2024/362 | 773075 | Ballarat Community Health |
| B2024/668 | B2024/363 | 773076 | Banyule Community Health |
| B2024/669 | B2024/364 | 773080 | Bellarine Community Health Ltd |
| B2024/670 | B2024/365 | 773081 | Better Health Network |
| B2024/671 | B2024/366 | 773082 | Bendigo Community Health Services Ltd |
| B2024/672 | B2024/367 | 773083 | Cohealth Limited |
| B2024/673 | B2024/368 | 773084 | DPV Health Ltd |
| B2024/674 | B2024/369 | 773085 | EACH |
| B2024/675 | B2024/370 | 773086 | Gateway Health Limited |
| B2024/676 | B2024/371 | 773087 | Gippsland Lakes Complete Health Limited |
| B2024/677 | B2024/372 | 773088 | Grampians Community Health |
| B2024/679 | B2024/374 | 773091 | IPC Health Ltd |
| B2024/680 | B2024/375 | 773092 | Latrobe Community Health Service Limited |
| B2024/681 | B2024/376 | 773093 | Merri Community Health Services Limited (Trading as Merri Health) |
| B2024/682 | B2024/377 | 773050 | Nexus Primary Health |
| B2024/683 | B2024/378 | 773042 | Nillumbik Community Health Service Ltd (Trading as healthAbility Victoria) |
| B2024/684 | B2024/379 | 773043 | North Richmond Community Health Limited |
| B2024/685 | B2024/380 | 773044 | Northern District Community Health |
| B2024/686 | B2024/381 | 773045 | Primary Care Connect |
| B2024/687 | B2024/382 | 773046 | Sunbury Community Health Centre Limited/Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health |
| B2024/688 | B2024/383 | 773047 | Sunraysia Community Health Services Limited |
| B2024/689 | B2024/384 | 773048 | Darebin Community Health Service (Trading as Your Community Health) |
| B2024/699 | B2024/385 | 773049 | Ensay Bush Nursing Centre |
[1] [2024] FWC 482 and PR771706.
Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer
<PR775439>
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