Electrical Contractors Association of New South Wales v Electrical Trades Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch and Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 404

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Electrical Contractors Association of New South Wales v Electrical Trades Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch and Anor [2003] NSWIRComm 404 APPELLANT: The Electrical Contractors Association of New South Wales

PARTIES : FIRST RESPONDENT: Electrical Trades Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch

SECOND RESPONDENT: John Goss Projects Pty Ltd FILE NUMBER: IRC 1994 of 2003 CORAM: Wright J President; Walton J Vice-President; O'Neill C Appeal - Enterprise agreement - Appellant not a party to enterprise agreement submitted to Commission for Approval - Appellant refused leave to appear in proceedings for approval of enterprise agreement - Statutory Construction - s 34(2) of Industrial Relations Act 1996 - Whether appellant had right of appearance in proceedings for approval of enterprise agreement or required the grant of leave - Held appellant had a right of appearance in proceedings for approval of enterprise agreement - Leave to appeal granted - Appeal upheld in this respect. CATCHWORDS : Enterprise agreement - Content of enterprise agreements - Appellant contended four clauses were not capable of being included in an enterprise agreement approved by the Commission - Construction of Part 2 of Chapter 2 of the Act - Whether clauses were conditions of employment - Whether clauses were industrial matters - Meaning of "industrial matter" considered - Held impugned clauses were industrial matters and were capable of being included in an enterprise agreement - Leave to appeal granted - Appeal dismissed insofar as it sought to overturn the approval of the agreement. LEGISLATION CITED : Industrial Relations Act 1996 ss 34 35 38 191 192 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) s 45E A v The Commission of Children and Young People (No.4) (2000) 104 IR 131 Akins v National Australia Bank (1994) 34 NSWLR 155 Allan v Transurban City Link Limited (2001) 208 CLR 167 AMWU v Alcoa of Australia Ltd and Others (1996) 63 IR 138 Australian Tramway Employees Association v Prahran and Malvern Tramway Trust (1913) 17 CLR 680 Big W Discount Stores v Donato (1994) 58 IR 239 Building Workers Industrial Union of Australia v Odco Pty Ltd (1991) 99 ALR 735 Campbell's Cash & Carry Pty Limited v National Union of Workers', New South Wales Branch Award (2001) 104 IR 385 Campbells Cash and Carry Pty Ltd v National Union of Workers, New South Wales Branch (No 2) (2001) 106 IR 429 CCH Australia Ltd v Bowen (1998) 79 IR 206 Centurian Constructions Pty Ltd v Beca Developments Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) [1999] NSWCA 457 Club Employees (State) Award [2002] NSWIRComm 362 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Quade (1991) 178 CLR 134 Council of the City of Greater Wollongong v Cowan (1955) 93 CLR 435 Devenish v Jewel Food Stores Pty Ltd (1991) 172 CLR 32 Employers Federation of New South Wales v New South Wales Nurses' Association and Others (1995) 64 IR 194 Federated Clerks Union of Australia v Victorian Employers Federation (1984) 154 CLR 472 Glover v Australian Ultra Concrete Floors Pty Limited [2003] NSWCA 80 In Re Moore, Exparte Federated Miscellaneous Workers' Union of Australia (1978) 140 CLR 470 Knowles v Anglican Church Property Trust No.2 (1999) 95 IR 380 Lend Lease Hotel Intercontinental (Stage 1) Project Award [2003] NSWIRComm 314 CASES CITED : Manpac Industries Pty Ltd (formerly t/as Pacific Concrete & Quarries Pty Ltd) v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Glass) (2001) 106 IR 435 Metals And Engineering Workers' Union - Western Australia Branch v Robe River Iron Associates (1995) 63 IR 243 National Union of Workers' v Graincorp (2002) 117 IR 136 New South Wales TAFE Commission (Teachers and Other Educational Staff) Salaries and Conditions Award 1996 [1999] NSWIRComm 234 Nominal Defendant v Manning (2000) 50 NSWLR 139 Nowlan v Marson Transport Pty Ltd (2001) 53 NSWLR 116 Orr v Holmes (1948) 76 CLR 632 R v Booth, Ex parte Administrative & Clerical Officers' Association (1978) 141 CLR 257 R v Portus, Ex parte ANZ Banking Group (1987) 127 CLR 358 Alcan Australia Limited & Ors Ex parte Federation of Industrial, Manufacturing and Engineering Employees, Re (1994) 181 CLR 96 Laundry Employees (State) Award (No.2), Re (1993) 49 IR 91 NSW Education Employees (Non Continuing Contract Employment) Award, Re (1999) 92 IR 239 Review of Principles for Approval of Enterprise Agreements 2002, Re [2002] NSWIRComm 342 Rothmans of Pall Mall (Australia) Limited (Smithfield Warehouse Employees) Consent Award (1995) 85 IR 149 Teachers - St Lucy's School Ltd Enterprise Agreement 1999 and Others [2001] NSWIRComm 4 Textralian Enterprises Pty Ltd v Perpetual Trustees Victoria Ltd [2000] NSWCA 176 The Queen v Industrial Relations Commission of South Australia, Exparte Master Builders Association of South Australia Incorporated [1981] SASR 535 Townsend v Townsend [2001] NSWCA 136 Transport Workers' Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch v Movers & Shakers Business Relocations Pty Limited (2001) 109 IR 249 Turner v Jupiters Mangement Limited (1989) 29 IR 276 at 277 Victims Compensation Fund Corporation v Sarah Jane Hill [2000] NSWCA 75 Wilson v The Prothonotary [2000] NSWCA 23 HEARING DATES: 04/30/2003; 05/22/2003; 05/29/2003; 07/07/2003; 07/11/2003; 07/29/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 12/02/2003