ARTICLE · 20 OCTOBER 2015

Stalled greenfields agreements get a boost with passage of Fair Work Act amendments

Clayton Utz

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The changes will allow the Fair Work Commission to make a determination if negotiations have been stalled for six months.

AustraliaEmployment and HR

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An important step towards greater workplace flexibility on major projects, including mines, has been taken with the passage of the Federal Government's Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014.

There's been concern amongst employers, particularly in the resource sector, that the Fair Work Act did not have an effective means to break any deadlock on negotiations for greenfields agreements.

The changes, passed by the Senate on Tuesday, extend good faith bargaining obligations to greenfields negotiations, and will now allow the Fair Work Commission to make a determination if negotiations have been stalled for six months.

Unions will also no longer be able to strike before genuine bargaining has commenced.

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