Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd T/A Virgin Australia

[2014] FWC 7493

[2014] FWC 7493

FAIR WORK COMMISSION

DECISION

Fair Work Act 2009
s.318 - Application for an order relating to instruments covering new employer and transferring employees

Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd T/A Virgin Australia
(AG2014/9286)

Airport operations
COMMISSIONER CAMBRIDGE	SYDNEY, 3 NOVEMBER 2014

Application for Orders relating to instruments covering new employer and transferring employees.

[1] This matter involves an application made under section 318 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). The application has been made by Virgin Australia Airlines Pty Ltd t/a Virgin Australia (Virgin), in respect to its Bag Room handling function, which has previously been conducted by Aero-Care Flight Support Pty Ltd (Aero-Care).

[2] The application was lodged at Sydney on 8 October 2014. The application seeks an Order from the Fair Work Commission (the Commission) relating to employees of Aero-Care who are prospective employees of Virgin (the Transferring Employees).

[3] The application contains grounds and submissions which, in relevant summary, contend that:

• The Transferring Employees are currently employed by Aero-Care under the terms of the Aero-Care Collective Agreement 2012 (the Aero-Care Agreement);



• The Transferring Employees are to begin employment with Virgin within three months of them ceasing employment with Aero-Care;

• There is an association between Aero-Care and Virgin, and a transfer of business from Aero-Care to Virgin in satisfaction of the meaning of transfer of business contained in Division 2 of Part 2-8 of the Act will occur when the Transferring Employees commences employment with Virgin as is anticipated;

• The Transferring Employees consider that the terms and conditions of employment for them with Virgin are more beneficial overall than the terms applicable under the Aero-Care Agreement; and



• In the absence of the Order sought by the application, the Aero-Care Agreement would be likely to cover the Transferring Employees and bind Virgin as a new employer.

[4] The matter was listed for a Hearing in Chambers on 3 November 2014. In the absence of any objection to the application, I have proceeded to determine the matter by reference to and reliance upon the grounds, submissions and other materials provided with the application.

[5] The application seeks that the Commission make an Order under s.318 of the Act. Section 318 is in the following terms:

“318 Orders relating to instruments covering new employer and transferring employees

Orders that the FWC may make

(1) The FWC may make the following orders:

(a) an order that a transferable instrument that would, or would be likely to, cover the new employer and a transferring employee because of paragraph 313(1)(a) does not, or will not, cover the new employer and the transferring employee;

(b) an order that an enterprise agreement or a named employer award that covers the new employer covers, or will cover, the transferring employee.

Who may apply for an order

(2) The FWC may make the order only on application by any of the following:

(a) the new employer or a person who is likely to be the new employer;

(b) a transferring employee, or an employee who is likely to be a transferring employee;

(c) if the application relates to an enterprise agreement—an employee organisation that is, or is likely to be, covered by the agreement;

(d) if the application relates to a named employer award—an employee organisation that is entitled to represent the industrial interests of an employee referred to in paragraph (b).

Matters that the FWC must take into account

(3) In deciding whether to make the order, the FWC must take into account the following:

(a) the views of:

(i) the new employer or a person who is likely to be the new employer; and

(ii) the employees who would be affected by the order;

(b) whether any employees would be disadvantaged by the order in relation to their terms and conditions of employment;

(c) if the order relates to an enterprise agreement—the nominal expiry date of the agreement;

(d) whether the transferable instrument would have a negative impact on the productivity of the new employer’s workplace;

(e) whether the new employer would incur significant economic disadvantage as a result of the transferable instrument covering the new employer;

(f) the degree of business synergy between the transferable instrument and any workplace instrument that already covers the new employer;

(g) the public interest.

Restriction on when order may come into operation

(4) The order must not come into operation in relation to a particular transferring employee before the later of the following:

(a) the time when the transferring employee becomes employed by the new employer;

(b) the day on which the order is made.”

[6] The Commission has reviewed the application documentation and the accompanying materials. These documents outline the factual circumstances which have given rise to the application. Further, the submissions contained in the application address the relevant legislative requirements which are asserted to provide for proper basis for the making of the Orders sought.

[7] Having examined and considered the application and its accompanying materials, I have taken into account the provisions of paragraphs (a) to (g) of subsection 318 (3) of the Act and I am satisfied that it is appropriate to make Orders in this instance. Consequently, the application is granted and Orders [PR557349] broadly in accordance with the terms sought will be issued accordingly.

COMMISSIONER

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