AG2001/1251, Transcript of Proceedings [2001] AIRCTrans 378 (23 March 2001)

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TRANSCRIPT OF PROCEEDINGS

O/N 7297

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL

RELATIONS COMMISSION

DEPUTY PRESIDENT LEARY

AG NO 2001/1251

APPLICATION FOR CERTIFICATION OF AGREEMENT

APPLICATION UNDER SECTION 170LJ OF THE ACT
BY FORESTRY TASMANIA AND OTHERS FOR
CERTIFICATION OF THE SMITHTON WORK CENTRE
AND EMPLOYEES LOCAL WORK AREA AGREEMENT
NO 2 OF 2000

HOBART

9.37 AM, WEDNESDAY, 7 MARCH 2001

PN1

MR R. FLANAGAN: I appear on behalf of the Australian Workers Union, Tasmanian Branch.

PN2

THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT: You are "it", are you?

PN3

MR FLANAGAN: It appears that way, Deputy President. Deputy President, this is the second Local Work Area Agreement for the Smithton workforce of Forestry Tasmania. It regulates approximately 60 employees in the north-east of the State and the focus of the agreement has been to increase the capacity to utilise Forestry Tasmania's capital equipment, particularly during the summer periods, to place into the agreement some flexibilities, which maximise their opportunity for that utilisation to occur. The agreement was the subject of a postal ballot and the result of that postal ballot was the in excess of 90 per cent of the employees endorsed the ballot. I do not have the figures with me at the moment, but I can tell you that out of those 60 employees one employee voted no. There are a few informal votes, but the rest endorsed it.

PN4

THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Right.

PN5

MR FLANAGAN: In those circumstances the union would rely on the statutory declaration of the parties and seek that the agreement be approved. If it pleases the Commission.

PN6

THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT: All right. Thank you. This is an agreement to be known as the Forestry Tasmania Smithton Work Centre and Employees Local Work Area Agreement Flexible Hours Number 2 of 2001. The parties to the agreement are Forestry Tasmania, the CPSU, the AWU, the CFMEU and the employees of Forestry Tasmania at the Smithton Work Centre which, I take it, is one of the larger work centres, is it?

PN7

MR FLANAGAN: Yes, that is right.

PN8

THE DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The parties have provided the required statutory declarations and have satisfied the requirements of the Act. The agreement will be certified to take effect from today's date and to remain in force until 30 June, 2001. That agreement is certified. The Commission adjourns.

ADJOURNED INDEFINITELY [9.40am]