2013-2014 

 

The Parliament of the 

Commonwealth of Australia 

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time 

 

 

 

 

Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining 

Processes) Bill 2014 

 

No.      , 2014 

 

(Employment) 

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, 

and for related purposes 

   

   

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 

i 

 

Contents 

1 

Short title ........................................................................................... 1

 

2 

Commencement ................................................................................. 1

 

3 

Schedules ........................................................................................... 2

 

Schedule 1--Amendments

 

3

 

Fair Work Act 2009

 

3

 

Schedule 2--Application and transitional provisions

 

5

 

Fair Work Act 2009

 

5

 

 

 

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 

1 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the Fair Work Act 2009, 

1 

and for related purposes 

2 

The Parliament of Australia enacts: 

3 

1  Short title 

4 

 

  This Act may be cited as the Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining 

5 

Processes) Act 2014. 

6 

2  Commencement 

7 

 

(1)  Each provision of this Act specified in column 1 of the table 

8 

commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with 

9 

column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect 

10 

according to its terms. 

11 

 

12 

   

   

 

 

2 

Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 

No.      , 2014 

 

Commencement information 

Column 1 

Column 2 

Column 3 

Provisions 

Commencement 

Date/Details 

1.  Sections 1 to 3 

and anything in 

this Act not 

elsewhere covered 

by this table 

The day this Act receives the Royal Assent. 

 

2.  Schedules 1 

and 2 

A single day to be fixed by Proclamation. 

However, if the provisions do not commence 

within the period of 6 months beginning on 

the day this Act receives the Royal Assent, 

they commence on the day after the end of 

that period. 

 

Note:  

This table relates only to the provisions of this Act as originally 

1 

enacted. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of 

2 

this Act. 

3 

 

(2)  Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this Act. 

4 

Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it 

5 

may be edited, in any published version of this Act. 

6 

3  Schedules 

7 

 

  Legislation that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or 

8 

repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule 

9 

concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect 

10 

according to its terms. 

11 

Amendments  Schedule 1 

   

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 

3 

 

Schedule 1

--Amendments 

1 

   

2 

Fair Work Act 2009 

3 

1  After subsection 187(1) 

4 

Insert: 

5 

Requirement that productivity improvements be discussed during 

6 

bargaining 

7 

 

(1A)  If the agreement is not a greenfields agreement, the FWC must be 

8 

satisfied that, during bargaining for the agreement, improvements 

9 

to productivity at the workplace were discussed. 

10 

2  Subsection 443(1) 

11 

After "must", insert "only". 

12 

3  After subsection 443(1) 

13 

Insert: 

14 

 

(1A)  For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), the FWC must have regard to 

15 

all relevant circumstances, including the following matters: 

16 

 

(a)  the steps taken by each applicant to try to reach an 

17 

agreement; 

18 

 

(b)  the extent to which each applicant has communicated its 

19 

claims in relation to the agreement; 

20 

 

(c)  whether each applicant has provided a considered response to 

21 

proposals made by the employer; 

22 

 

(d)  the extent to which bargaining for the agreement has 

23 

progressed. 

24 

4  Subsection 443(2) 

25 

Repeal the subsection, substitute: 

26 

 

(2)  Despite subsection (1), the FWC must not make a protected action 

27 

ballot order in relation to a proposed enterprise agreement if it is 

28 

satisfied that a claim of an applicant or, when taken as a whole, the 

29 

claims of an applicant: 

30 

Schedule 1  Amendments 

   

 

 

4 

Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 

No.      , 2014 

 

 

(a)  are manifestly excessive, having regard to the conditions at 

1 

the workplace and the industry in which the employer 

2 

operates; or 

3 

 

(b)  would have a significant adverse impact on productivity at 

4 

the workplace. 

5 

Application and transitional provisions  Schedule 2 

   

 

 

No.      , 2014 

Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining Processes) Bill 2014 

5 

 

Schedule 2

--Application and transitional 

1 

provisions 

2 

     

3 

Fair Work Act 2009 

4 

1  At the end of the Act 

5 

Add: 

6 

Schedule 6--Amendments made by the Fair 

7 

Work Amendment (Bargaining 

8 

Processes) Act 2014 

9 

Note: 

See section 795A. 

10 

   

11 

   

12 

1  Definitions 

13 

 

  In this Schedule: 

14 

amending Act means the Fair Work Amendment (Bargaining 

15 

Processes) Act 2014. 

16 

2  Item 1 of Schedule 1 to the amending Act 

17 

 

  The amendment made by item 1 of Schedule 1 to the amending Act 

18 

applies in relation to an enterprise agreement that is made after the 

19 

day this item commences. 

20 

3  Items 2 to 4 of Schedule 1 to the amending Act 

21 

 

  The amendments made by items 2 to 4 of Schedule 1 to the 

22 

amending Act apply in relation to an application for a protected 

23 

action ballot order that is made after the day this item commences. 

24