Salama v Sydney Trains [2021] FCA 251

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Salama v Sydney Trains [2021] FCA 251 File number: NSD 1977 of 2017

Judgment of: BURLEY J

Date of judgment: 24 March 2021

Catchwords: INDUSTRIAL LAW – adverse action – whether employee exercised workplace rights under s 341(1) of the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ("FW Act") – where employee member and officer of industrial association under s 346 of the FW Act – whether adverse action taken because employee exercised workplace rights and/or was member and officer of industrial association – where decision-makers gave evidence regarding reasons adverse action was taken – whether employer discharged presumption imposed by s 361 of the FW Act – application dismissed INDUSTRIAL LAW – alleged contravention of enterprise agreement contrary to s 50 of the FW Act – interpretation of enterprise agreements – whether employer denied employee rights under enterprise agreement – application dismissed

Legislation: Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ss 6, 12, 50 – 54, 340, 341, 342, 346, 347, 361, 789FC and 789FD Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 7.23

Cases cited: Amcor Limited v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union [2005] HCA 10; 222 CLR 241 Board of Bendigo Regional Institute of Technical and Further Education v Barclay [2012] HCA 32; 248 CLR 500 City of Wanneroo v Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical And Services Union [2006] FCA 813; 153 IR 426 Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union v BHP Coal Pty Ltd [2014] HCA 41; 253 CLR 243 Construction Forestry Mining and Energy union v De Martin & Gasparini Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] FCA 1046 Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union v Hay Point Services Pty Ltd [2019] FCA 2145 Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union v Pilbara Iron Company (Services) Pty Ltd (No 3) [2012] FCA 697 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Anglo Coal (Dawson Services) Pty Ltd (No 2) [2015] FCA 265 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Anglo Coal (Dawson Services) Pty Ltd [2015] FCAFC 157; 238 FCR 273 Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Clermont Coal Pty Limited [2015] FCA 1014; 253 IR 166 Cummins South Pacific Pty Ltd v Keenan [2020] FCAFC 204 Elliott v Kodak Australasia Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 1804; 129 IR 251 Energy Australia Yallourn Pty Ltd v Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union [2018] FCAFC 146; 264 FCR 342 George v Rockett [1990] HCA 26; 170 CLR 104 Kucks v CSR Limited [1996] IRCA 141 Mr Joseph Salama v Sydney Trains; Mr Laurence New; Ms Amba Francisco; Mr Charlie Keech; Ms Kirsty Sweeting [2018] FWC 1845 National Tertiary Education Industry Union v University of Sydney [2020] FCA 1709 National Tertiary Education Union v Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology [2013] FCA 451; 234 IR 139 Patrick Stevedores Operations No 2 Pty Ltd v Maritime Union of Australia (No 3) [1998] HCA 30; 195 CLR 1 Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals v Samsung Bioepis AU Pty Ltd [2017] FCAFC 193; 257 FCR 62 PIA Mortgage Services Pty Ltd v King [2020] FCAFC 15 Red Cross v Queensland Nurses' Union of Employees [2019] FCAFC 215; 273 FCR 332 Shea v EnergyAustralia Services Pty Ltd [2014] FCAFC 167; 242 IR 159 Shea v TRUenergy Services Pty Ltd (No 6) [2014] FCA 271; 242 IR 1 Tattsbet Ltd v Morrow [2015] FCAFC 62; 233 FCR 46 Wood (on behalf of the Industrial Relations Bureau) v Lord Mayor, Councillors and Citizens of the City of Melbourne (1979) 41 FLR 1