Labor Council of New South Wales and others and Axis Metal Roofing and others [2004] NSWIRComm 53

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION : Labor Council of New South Wales and others and Axis Metal Roofing and others [2004] NSWIRComm 53 APPLICANT Labor Council of New South Wales on behalf of the Constuction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union (New South Wales Branch) and others PARTIES : RESPONDENT Axis Metal Roofing and others FILE NUMBER: IRC 7718 & 8525 of 2001 CORAM: Walton J Vice-President CATCHWORDS : Industrial action - Strike pay - Interpretation of s143 - Legislative intent - Purpose of statutory scheme - Orders or authorisation - s143(4)(a) - "Based on a reasonable concern for health and safety" - Subjective or objective test - Actual risk not required - Reasonable concern arising from lead paint at construction site - Entire site affected - Collective concern - s143(4)(b) - Meaning of expression "only to the particular employees whose health and safety caused that concern" - Burden of proof - Discretionary considerations - Effect of award - Commission recommendations - Milestone incentive payments - Orders to be made. Industrial Arbitration Act 1940 Industrial Relations Act 1991 s218 s219 Industrial Relations Act 1996 s143 Industrial Relations Act 1998 (Cth) s124 Industrial Relations Act 1999 (Qld) s241 LEGISLATION CITED : Interpretation Act 1987 s9(1) Occupational Health and Safety Act 1983 Occupational Health and Safety Act 1984 (WA) s26 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 s8 s91 Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2001 Workplace Relations Act 1996 (Cth) s4(1) Alstom Power Pty Limited v Australian Workers Union [2000] NSWIRComm 180 Australian Meat Industry Employees Union v Australia Meat Holdings Pty Ltd [1996] NSWIRComm 223 Automatic Fire Sprinklers Proprietary Limited & Another v Watson (1946) 72 CLR 435 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 Caltex Australia Limited v Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union, New South Wales Branch & others re casual rate of pay [2002] NSWIRComm 1082 Re Equal Remuneration Principle (2000) 97 IR 177 Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia v Wattyl Queensland Pty Limited (1992) 41 IR 429 CASES CITED : Fox v GIO Australia Ltd (2002) 56 NSWLR 512 Macedonian Teachers' Association of Victoria Inc v Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and Another (1998) 160 ALR 489 Malec v JC Hutton Pty Ltd (1990) 169 CLR 438 New South Wales Teachers Federation and TAFE Commission (unreported, Matter No. IRC 111 of 1997, Schmidt J, 26 September 1997) Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 Thompson v Goold & Co [1910] AC 409 at 420 Transport Workers Union of Australia, New South Wales Branch v Kwikasair Express, a Division of TNT Australia Pty Limited (unreported, Matter No. IRC 138 of 1994, McKenna C, 2 August 1994) Western Mining Corporation v Australian Workers Union (1990) 70 WAIG 3525 HEARING DATES: 12/12/2002; 12/13/2002; 02/14/2003; 05/13/2003; 05/14/2003; 07/14/2003; 08/21/2004 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 03/31/2004