Enterprise Agreements Flashcards
Single-enterprise Agreements
* Can be made under the FW Act by a single employer * Involve two or more employers if they are related corporations (or JV or common enterprise, or have single interest employer authorization)
Multi-enterprise Agreements
* Agreement made by two or more employers that cannot establish a single interest * Difference between SEA - protected industrial action may not be taken in support of a multi-enterprise agreement * FW Act does not impose a requirement to obtain an authorization to make an agreement * Vote is requires at each enterprise
Greenfields Agreements
* Can be made for a “genuine new enterprise” * Enterprise that one or more employers establishing or proposing to establish * Cover any category of employee necessary for the conduct of the enterprise, provided no employee has yet been engaged * Able to establish set of conditions that will cover anyone hired for the enterprise
Re Abigroup Agreement (2011)
Greenfield Agreements may also be made before tendering, even if the project may not eventuate
HP Distribution Case
Requirement to involve unions with GA, however do not need to include every union with a potential interest
s187(5)
FWC will approve GA if the unions involved represent a majority of the employees, and approval will be in the public interest
s58(1)
Because more than one EA can apply in a workplace, one enterprise agreement can apply to any given employee, unless they are doing two different jobs.
s182(3)
Greenfield agreement can be made simply by each employer and union signing it and submitting to FWC for approval
Steps for making Enterprise Agreement
* s173, 174 - Notice to current employees and right to be represented * s180 - Once agreement is made, a copy is provided to employees * s181 - Requires employee approval at 50% + 1 * s185(3) - Agreement must be lodged with the Fair Work Commission within 14 days * s186, 187 - Fair Work Commission must make an assessment * Agreement must be freely made * Whether the group of employees freely chosen * Main test: better off overall test
Re Armacell (2010)
BOOT require identification of terms which are more beneficial for an employee, terms which are less beneficial and an overall assessment of whether an employee would be better off
Re Bupa Care Services (2010)
Agreement allowed employees to volunteer for additional hours, but be paid at ordinary rate (not O/T). Found that agreement left employees worse off, because employers could escape penalty rates by inducing workers to volunteer to work overtime
s189
* Some agreements that fail the BOOT can be approved under exceptional circumstances * Agreement is part of a reasonable strategy to deal with a short term crisis in the enterprise * Nominal term of no more than two years
s190
* If FWC has concerns, can aspect a written undertaking from an employer covered by the agreement
s343
Prohibits person from seeking to coerce another as to their workplace rights
Electrolux v AWU (2004)
Coercion when Union taking or threatening unprotected industrial action against an employer
s345
General protection that prohibits a person from making a false or misleading representation about another person workplace rights
s228(1)
* Good faith bargaining requirements * Attend, participate in meetings * Disclose relevant information * Respond and give genuine consideration to proposals * Recognize and bargain with representatives * Refrain from capricious or unfair conduct that undermines freedom of association or collective bargaining
CFMEU v Tahmoor Coal (2010)
Bargaining reached an impasses, employer can move to test employee support for agreement. Even when union is involved, employers are able to communicate directly with its workplace.
