NSW Fire Brigades Employees' Union v NSW Fire Brigades [2007] NSWIRComm 128

Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales

CITATION: NSW Fire Brigades Employees' Union v NSW Fire Brigades [2007] NSWIRComm 128

PARTIES: New South Wales Fire Brigade Employees' Union New South Wales Fire Brigades

FILE NUMBER(S): IRC 166 of 2007

CORAM: Grayson DP

CATCHWORDS: Industrial dispute - Award interpretation - Principles of statutory construction - Signifance of contextual approach - Longstanding accepted meaning of award provision challenged by union - Natural and ordinary meaning of the word 'recall' - Focus on the act of return to work - No scope for additional act of being released from work prior to commencement of normal work to be imported - Union application granted

LEGISLATION CITED: Industrial Relations Act 1996

Attorney-General v Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover [1957] AC 436 at 461 Atwood Oceanics Australia Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation (1989) 30 IR 58 Australian Workers' Union v Graziers Association (NSW) 1939 40 CAR 494 Busby v Australian Telecommunications Commission (1988) 83 ALR 67 City of Waneroo v Holmes (1989) 30 IR 362 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v FC of T (1981) 35 ALR 151 CASES CITED: Electrical Trades Union of Australia NSW Branch v Boral Hardies Pty Ltd (1993) 51 IR 412 General Construction Award [1969] A.R. (NSW) 149 K&S Lake City Freighters Pty Ltd v Gordon & Gotch Ltd (1985) 60 ALR 509 Race Clubs etc Employees (Cumberland and Newcastle) Award [1991] NSWRComm 22 Re Health Administration Corporation (1985) 12 IR 122 Re Interpretation of the St John Ambulance Officers Award (1992) SAIRC 14 (27 March 1992) Re Public Hospital Nurses (State) Award (1983) 5 IR 153 Solution 6 Holdings Ltd v Industrial Relations Commission of NSW (2004) 60 NSWLR 558