[2018] FWCFB 3516
FAIR WORK COMMISSION

STATEMENT


Fair Work Act 2009

s.156 - 4 yearly review of modern awards

Part-day public holidays
(AM2014/301)

VICE PRESIDENT HATCHER
COMMISSIONER HAMPTON
COMMISSIONER JOHNS

SYDNEY, 15 JUNE 2018

4 yearly review of modern awards – common issue –public holidays – part-day public holidays.

[1] This Statement concerns the part-day public holiday provisions that are contained in most modern awards. Much of the background to the provisions is set out in the Decision1 issued by a Full Bench of the Commission on 12 November 2014.

[2] In brief, most of the Commission’s modern awards were varied to include an additional schedule dealing with part-day public holidays, originally in 2012, and again in each subsequent year. There are a number of different versions of the schedule but each is directed at confirming appropriate arrangements for certain part-day public holidays. A list of these provisions is attached at Appendix A. On each occasion since 2012, the various schedules were specified to operate on an interim basis for the relevant year. 2

[3] The issue of part-day public holidays has also arisen in the context of the 4 yearly review of modern awards and public holiday provisions have been identified as a common issue. In that regard, there have been various proposals to make the present part-day public holiday schedules a permanent part of the relevant modern awards and some other proposals to significantly amend or remove the schedules as part of a more comprehensive review of public holiday provisions. However, more recently, the Australian Hotels Association has withdrawn its proposal to vary the Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010 by moving the part-day public holiday schedule into the body of that award. 3

[4] In its March 2018 Decision, 4 the Full Bench confirmed that the issues associated with the part-day public holiday provisions would be considered after the finalisation of the review of public holiday provisions more generally. The March 2018 Decision also effectively finalised that part of the 4 yearly review dealing with public holidays.

[5] The “Interim” schedules have now operated for 6 years without any significant issues being raised with the Commission. We consider that the arrangements for the part-day public holidays should be finalised and not be such as to require a variation in order to operate from year to year. As a result, the Full Bench is considering its options including:

  Make each of the existing schedules ongoing, by deleting reference to any particular year. This would involve a determination(s) being issued to vary each of the relevant modern awards. If this option were adopted, the Full Bench may also permit any interested party to make a specific contrary application, which would be considered and dealt with in advance of the part-day public holidays scheduled for later this year; or

  Convene a conference of all interested organisations with a view to exploring whether separate schedules (or particular provisions within the awards concerned) are actually required across the modern awards, and if so, the appropriate provisions.

[6] Before deciding our approach to this matter, we invite submissions from interested parties on these or any other appropriate options.

[7] Any interested party wishing to file a submission in relation to this matter is requested to do so by 5.00pm Friday 6 July 2018. Submissions received will be posted to the Commission’s website.

[8] All submissions are to be sent to amod@fwc.gov.au

scription: Seal of the Fair Work Commission with the member's signature.

VICE PRESIDENT

Appendix A—Awards with part-day public holidays schedules

Award title

Award ID

Schedule

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services Award 2010

MA000115

Schedule E

Aged Care Award 2010

MA000018

Schedule E

Air Pilots Award 2010

MA000046

Schedule F

Aircraft Cabin Crew Award 2010

MA000047

Schedule E

Airline Operations—Ground Staff Award 2010

MA000048

Schedule F

Airport Employees Award 2010

MA000049

Schedule F

Ambulance and Patient Transport Industry Award 2010

MA000098

Schedule C

Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2010

MA000080

Schedule F

Animal Care and Veterinary Services Award 2010

MA000118

Schedule E

Aquaculture Industry Award 2010

MA000114

Schedule F

Architects Award 2010

MA000079

Schedule C

Asphalt Industry Award 2010

MA000054

Schedule E

Banking, Finance and Insurance Award 2010

MA000019

Schedule F

Book Industry Award 2010

MA000078

Schedule B

Broadcasting and Recorded Entertainment Award 2010

MA000091

Schedule K

Building and Construction General On-site Award 2010

MA000020

Schedule E

Business Equipment Award 2010

MA000021

Schedule F

Car Parking Award 2010

MA000095

Schedule E

Cement and Lime Award 2010

MA000055

Schedule F

Cemetery Industry Award 2010

MA000070

Schedule F

Children’s Services Award 2010

MA000120

Schedule E

Cleaning Services Award 2010

MA000022

Schedule H

Clerks—Private Sector Award 2010

MA000002

Schedule E

Commercial Sales Award 2010

MA000083

Schedule D

Concrete Products Award 2010

MA000056

Schedule E

Contract Call Centre Award 2010

MA000023

Schedule E

Corrections and Detention (Private Sector) Award 2010

MA000110

Schedule F

Dredging Industry Award 2010

MA000085

Schedule B

Dry Cleaning and Laundry Industry Award 2010

MA000096

Schedule G

Educational Services (Post-Secondary Education) Award 2010

MA000075

Schedule G

Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award 2010

MA000076

Schedule F

Educational Services (Teachers) Award 2010

MA000077

Schedule C

Electrical, Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2010

MA000025

Schedule F

Electrical Power Industry Award 2010

MA000088

Schedule F

Fast Food Industry 2010

MA000003

Schedule E

Fire Fighting Industry Award 2010

MA000111

Schedule C

Fitness Industry Award 2010

MA000094

Schedule E

Food, Beverage and Tobacco Manufacturing Award 2010

MA000073

Schedule F

Funeral Industry Award 2010

MA000105

Schedule F

Gardening and Landscaping Services Award 2010

MA000101

Schedule F

Gas Industry Award 2010

MA000061

Schedule F

General Retail Industry Award 2010

MA000004

Schedule F

Graphic Arts, Printing and Publishing Award 2010

MA000026

Schedule G

Hair and Beauty Industry Award 2010

MA000005

Schedule F

Health Professionals and Support Services Award 2010

MA000027

Schedule F

Higher Education Industry—Academic Staff—Award 2010

MA000006

Schedule B

Higher Education Industry—General Staff—Award 2010

MA000007

Schedule H

Horse and Greyhound Training Award 2010

MA000008

Schedule D

Horticulture Award 2010

MA000028

Schedule E

Hospitality Industry (General) Award 2010

MA000009

Schedule H

Hydrocarbons Field Geologists Award 2010

MA000064

Schedule D

Hydrocarbons Industry (Upstream) Award 2010

MA000062

Schedule F

Joinery and Building Trades Award 2010

MA000029

Schedule F

Journalists Published Media Award 2010

MA000067

Schedule C

Labour Market Assistance Industry Award 2010

MA000099

Schedule E

Legal Services Award 2010

MA000116

Schedule E

Live Performance Award 2010

MA000081

Schedule F

Local Government Industry Award 2010

MA000112

Schedule F

Mannequins and Models Award 2010

MA000117

Schedule C

Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2010

MA000010

Schedule F

Marine Tourism and Charter Vessels Award 2010

MA000093

Schedule E

Marine Towage Award 2010

MA000050

Schedule B

Maritime Offshore Oil and Gas Award 2010

MA000086

Schedule C

Market and Social Research Award 2010

MA000030

Schedule E

Meat Industry Award 2010

MA000059

Schedule F

Medical Practitioners Award 2010

MA000031

Schedule B

Mining Industry Award 2010

MA000011

Schedule F

Miscellaneous Award 2010

MA000104

Schedule F

Mobile Crane Hiring Award 2010

MA000032

Schedule E

Nursery Award 2010

MA000033

Schedule E

Nurses Award 2010

MA000034

Schedule C

Oil Refining and Manufacturing Award 2010

MA000072

Schedule F

Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award 2010

MA000063

Schedule E

Pastoral Award 2010

MA000035

Schedule D

Pest Control Industry Award 2010

MA000097

Schedule E

Pharmaceutical Industry Award 2010

MA000069

Schedule E

Pharmacy Industry Award 2010

MA000012

Schedule E

Plumbing and Fire Sprinklers Award 2010

MA000036

Schedule F

Ports, Harbours and Enclosed Water Vessels Award 2010

MA000052

Schedule B

Poultry Processing Award 2010

MA000074

Schedule E

Premixed Concrete Award 2010

MA000057

Schedule E

Professional Diving Industry (Industrial) Award 2010

MA000108

Schedule C

Professional Diving Industry (Recreational) Award 2010

MA000109

Schedule C

Quarrying Award 2010

MA000037

Schedule F

Racing Clubs Events Award 2010

MA000013

Schedule E

Racing Industry Ground Maintenance Award 2010

MA000014

Schedule E

Real Estate Industry Award 2010

MA000106

Schedule F

Registered and Licensed Clubs Award 2010

MA000058

Schedule G

Restaurant Industry Award 2010

MA000119

Schedule F

Road Transport and Distribution Award 2010

MA000038

Schedule F

Road Transport (Long Distance Operations) Award 2010

MA000039

Schedule D

Salt Industry Award 2010

MA000107

Schedule F

Seafood Processing Award 2010

MA000068

Schedule E

Seagoing Industry Award 2010

MA000122

Schedule C

Security Services Industry Award 2010

MA000016

Schedule E

Silviculture Award 2010

MA000040

Schedule D

Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Industry Award 2010

MA000100

Schedule H

Sporting Organisations Award 2010

MA000082

Schedule E

State Government Agencies Award 2010

MA000121

Schedule E

Stevedoring Industry Award 2010

MA000053

Schedule F

Storage Services and Wholesale Award 2010

MA000084

Schedule E

Supported Employment Services Award 2010

MA000103

Schedule E

Surveying Award 2010

MA000066

Schedule E

Telecommunications Services Award 2010

MA000041

Schedule F

Textile, Clothing, Footwear and Associated Industries Award 2010

MA000017

Schedule H

Timber Industry Award 2010

MA000071

Schedule I

Transport (Cash in Transit) Award 2010

MA000042

Schedule D

Travelling Shows Award 2010

MA000102

Schedule D

Vehicle Manufacturing, Repair, Services and Retail Award 2010

MA000089

Schedule G

Victorian Local Government Award 2015

MA000132

Schedule E

Waste Management Award 2010

MA000043

Schedule E

Water Industry Award 2010

MA000113

Schedule F

Wine Industry Award 2010

MA000090

Schedule F

Wool Storage, Sampling and Testing Award 2010

MA000044

Schedule E

1 [2014] FWCFB 7830.

 2   The variations for the 2017 year were dealt with in [2017] FWCFB 5893.

 3   Correspondence to the Commission dated 4 June 2018.

 4   4 yearly review of modern awards – Public Holidays [2018] FWCFB 4 at [10].

Printed by authority of the Commonwealth Government Printer

<PR608156>