Orders to stop or prevent unprotected industrial action

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When can an order be made?

See Fair Work Act s.418

If it appears to the Commission that unprotected industrial action by one or more employees or employers:

is happening
is threatened, impending or probable, or
is being organised

the Commission must make an order that the industrial action stop, not occur or not be organised (as the case may be) for a period specified in the order (the stop period).^[1] Such an order may contain provisions that seek to achieve that purpose in direct terms, and additional terms that are necessary for, incidental to, or consequential upon the exercise of power for that purpose.^[2]

The Commission may make the order on its own initiative, or on application by:

a person who is affected (whether directly or indirectly), or who is likely to be affected (whether directly or indirectly), by the industrial action, or
an organisation of which a person who is affected is a member.

In making the order, the Commission does not have to specify the particular industrial action, however the order must be directed at the industrial action (existing or potential) which has been identified, and be sufficient to disclose the legal operation of the order and provide sufficient certainty to allow compliance with it.^[3] The Commission's power to make orders is limited to the industrial action that is the subject of the application before it.^[4]

If the Commission is required to make an order stopping or preventing industrial action that was authorised by a protected action ballot:

some or all of which has not been taken before the beginning of the stop period, or
which has not ended before the beginning of that stop period, or
beyond that stop period

the Commission may state in the order whether another protected action ballot is required before the action can be engaged in after the end of that stop period.^[5]

Making an application

An application for an order to stop or prevent unprotected industrial action made to the Commission must include a completed and signed application form [Form F14].

A draft order may also be included.

A draft order should identify industrial action by its nature and character in a way that is meaningful for the parties.^[6]

Note: A party applying for an order should not seek to include a term in any order that is clearly beyond power or is contrary to authority. The Commission’s powers in respect of these orders is limited to stopping or preventing the industrial action. The Commission has held that orders requiring that ‘employees be available for work, and perform work as required’ are clearly beyond power.^[7]

Parties who are legally represented have a particular obligation to alert the Member to any term sought that is beyond power or contrary to authority and should be prepared to canvass with the Member the doubt as to power or argue that the contrary authority was incorrectly decided or is otherwise distinguishable.^[8]

Links to application form

All forms are available on the Forms page of the Commission's website.

Case examples

Unprotected industrial action – order made

Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd and Ors v Deegan and Ors

[2013] FWC 7505 (O’Callaghan SDP, 26 September 2013)

Facts

The application was made after employees working on the new Royal Adelaide Hospital construction site (the nRAH) refused to return to work after expressing concern over various safety issues.

The applicants submitted that the employees had been engaging in frequent unprotected industrial action in the form of stoppages of work, a refusal to work overtime, and reduced work outputs. The applicants further submitted that most of this industrial action was taken on the basis of assertions that it was related to safety concerns which were not based on any reasonable concern about an imminent risk to employee health and safety such that work, or attendance at the nRAH was not possible.

The employees submitted that to the extent they had engaged in industrial action, that action was specifically and legitimately related to reasonable concerns about health and safety risks.

Outcome

The Commission considered the applicants’ detailed OHS policies as well as the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA). The Commission found that no basis for a stoppage of work on the grounds of concerns about imminent serious risks to employee health or safety had been established. The industrial action taken was unprotected. The Commission was satisfied it was appropriate to make an order that industrial action stop and not occur or be organised for a period of 6 months.

Relevance

Employee concern about safety risks must be represent reasonable concerns about imminent risks to employee health or safety. In this case the concern was not reasonable and the issues could have been dealt with in other ways.

AGL Loy Yang Pty Ltd t/a AGL Loy Yang v Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union & Anor

[2017] FWC 432 (Roe C, 20 January 2017)

Facts

The application for an order under s.418 was made by AGL after it had been unable to adequately staff shifts leading to the continued shut down of units and consequent loss of income. The power station operated by AGL had four units. AGL had been unable to achieve the minimum staffing levels specified in the Loy Yang Power Enterprise Agreement 2012 to operate all four units for nine of the last 11 shifts. AGL provided detailed evidence of the approaches made to individual employees to try and cover staffing levels after an unprecedented number of employees calling in sick and the refusal of other employees to cover staffing vacancies. AGL also gave evidence of previous average numbers of employees calling in sick.

Outcome

The Commission considered that industrial action was occurring and that it was likely that it would continue. The industrial action in question was a ban or limitation on the performance of overtime contrary to the Agreement or contrary to custom and practice regarding availability for the performance of overtime. It was also the taking of personal/carers leave under the Agreement or under the Fair Work Act in a manner that resulted in a restriction or limitation on the performance of work. Having found that the unprotected industrial action was occurring and probable, the Commission issued an Order that that it was to stop for a period of one month.

Relevance

The Commission must be satisfied that unprotected industrial action is happening, is probable or is being organised. It was not necessary in this matter for the ban or limitation on work to be a total prohibition, it was sufficient that there has been a change to the custom and practice in respect to these matters and that the change had been organised in order to harm AGL .

Victorian WorkCover Authority t/a WorkSafe Victoria v CPSU, the Community and Public Sector Union

[2017] FWC 3645 (Wilson C, 10 July 2017)

Facts

The application for an order under s.418 was made by Victorian WorkCover Authority t/a WorkSafe Victoria (WorkSafe) after the CPSU circulated a newsletter on 5 July 2017 to members employed by WorkSafe indicating an intention to take industrial action in several forms. Worksafe argued that the matters indicated in the newsletter should be regarded as industrial action within meaning of s.19 of the Fair Work Act. The CPSU did not contest the newsletter, its terms, or its circulation to member employees. WorkSafe argued that the matters indicated in the newsletter would be contrary to its usual work practices if implemented, and would have a serious and negative impact on WorkSafe's capacity to undertake its work.

Outcome

The Commissioner found that items 2 to 6 of the CPSU newsletter were industrial action, and that each was not protected industrial action. The Commissioner was satisfied that the newsletter advised action to be taken by member employees and encouraged them to pass the newsletter on to non-member employees. The Commissioner was satisfied that the action in the newsletter amounted to industrial action within the meaning of s.19 of the Fair Work Act because if taken, the action would result in the performance of work by an employee in a manner different from that in which it is customarily performed or the adoption of a practice in relation to work, the result of which is a restriction or limitation on or delay in performance of work. Having found that the unprotected industrial action was threatened, impending, probable or was being organised, the Commissioner issued an Order that that it was to stop for a period of one month.

Relevance

The Commissioner must be satisfied that unprotected industrial action is happening, is threatened, impending probable, or is being organised. It was sufficient in this case that the Commissioner was satisfied that the threatened action, if taken, would result in the performance of work in a manner different from that in which it was customarily performed or the adoption of a practice in relation to the work, the result of which is a restriction or limitation on or delay in performance of work.

Interim orders

See Fair Work Act s.420

Application must be determined within 2 days

As far as practicable, the Commission must determine an application for an order to stop or prevent industrial action within two days after the application is made.^[9]

Despite the need for expedition, s.420 recognises that it may not be practicable for an application to be determined within the two day period. One of the practicalities is the obligation to give procedural fairness to the respondent. The provision of a reasonable opportunity for a party to present its case may in the circumstances of the particular case mean that the application cannot be determined within the two days. The content of the requirement to give procedural fairness is then affected by the obligation of the Commission under s.420(2) to make an interim order that the industrial action stop, not occur or not be organised, subject only to the public interest.^[10]

The legislation does not pursue expedition at all costs. The legislation does not make the determination of the application within two days a complete goal in itself, but requires that the period be taken into account and given weight in deciding what will be a reasonable opportunity for a party to present its case. Expedition does not trump procedural fairness.^[11]

Expedition, used in this way, relates to the need for the Commission to deal with these matters quickly.

Related information

What is a day?

Requirement to make an interim order

If the Commission is unable to determine the application within that period, the Commission must, within that period, make an interim order that the industrial action to which the application relates stop, not occur or not be organised (as the case may be).

However, the Commission must not make the interim order if the Commission is satisfied that it would be contrary to the public interest to do so. For example, the Commission has refused to make an interim order in a matter which could not be determined within two days but would be resolved within 24 hours after the end of the two day period and where there was no evidence that anything of significance would happen before the matter was finalised.^[12]

The obligation to make an interim order exists regardless of the strength or weakness of the case and regardless of whether the respondent has had a reasonable opportunity to present a case against the making of such an order.^[13]

In making the interim order, the Commission does not have to specify in the order the particular industrial action.

An interim order continues in operation until the application is determined.

Case example

Interim order made

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union v Hooker Cockram Projects NSW Pty Ltd

[2011] FWAFB 3658 (Harrison SDP, Richards SDP, Williams C, 21 June 2011), [(2011) 210 IR 397];
[2012] FWAFB 3738 (Harrison SDP, Richards SDP, Williams C, 3 May 2012).

Facts

Various actions taken by the union resulted in employees of the company ceasing work. The reasons for the stoppages were principally associated with health and safety issues. The company accepted that the project had generated health and safety concerns however it detailed action it had taken by identifying risks and undertaking remediation work. Work stoppages continued. Numerous meetings were held however the union and employees continued to have concerns about health and safety risks. The company was of the view that adequate steps had been taken to warrant the resumption of normal work.

The company made an application under s.418 for an order to stop the industrial action. The Commisison ruled that it could not deal with the s.418 application to completion within the two day period prescribed in s.420(1) and made an interim order stopping the industrial action.

The union appealed the decision on several grounds including challenging several aspects of the terms of the interim order.

Outcome

In considering the terms of the interim order the Full Bench had concerns about the scope of the order which issued. The order placed obligations on all employees of the company, both those who were members of the union and those who were not. The Full Bench found that the service of the initial application (and notice of the hearing) was only made on the union. This was not in accordance with the rules and no order for substituted service was sought. It seemed that no attempt was made by the company to bring the application to the attention of its employees.

The Full Bench also had concerns about the provisions of clause 6 of the interim order. The clause provided that whenever a person sought to rely on the health and safety exclusion set out in s.19(2)(c), that person had the burden of proving the exemption applied. The Full Bench could not identify a burden of proof provision in the definition of industrial action in s.19 nor in ss.418 and 420.

After consideration the Full Bench held that the public interest was not enlivened and permission to appeal was not granted.

Note: The application made under s.418 was withdrawn by the company and no final order was made. With the withdrawal of the s.418 application the interim order ceased to operate.

Relevance

In drafting a draft order a party must ensure that the scope of the order is appropriate, and that there are no requirements over and above the provisions of the legislation, such as the inclusion of the burden of proof requirement in this matter where there is no such requirement in the Fair Work Act.

Industrial action outside the national system

See Fair Work Act s.419

As set out in Part 1 – How to use this benchbook, only national system employees and national system employers can participate in protected industrial action under the Fair Work Act. This means that industrial action taken by non-national system employees will not be protected industrial action under the Fair Work Act. However the Commission has power to make orders for industrial action taken by persons outside of the national system to stop, if the industrial action is likely to have the effect of causing substantial loss or damage to the business of a constitutional corporation.

Stop orders etc

If it appears to the Commission that industrial action by one or more non-national system employees or non-national system employers is:

happening,
threatened, impending or probable, or
being organised, and

will, or would, be likely to have the effect of causing substantial loss or damage to the business of a constitutional corporation; then the Commission must make an order that the industrial action stop, not occur or not be organised (as the case may be) for a period specified in the order.

The Commission may make the order on its own initiative, or on application by:

a person who is affected (whether directly or indirectly), or who is likely to be affected (whether directly or indirectly), by the industrial action, or
an organisation of which a person who is affected is a member.

In making the order, the Commission does not have to specify the particular industrial action.

Contravening an order

See Fair Work Act s.421

A person to whom an order to stop or prevent industrial action applies must not contravene a term of the order. This includes an interim order.

Note: This is a civil remedy provision.

However, a person is not required to comply with an order if:

the order is an order that industrial action stop, not occur or not be organised (under s.418), or an interim order (under s.420) that relates to an application for an order that industrial action stop, not occur or not be organised, and
the industrial action to which the order relates is, or would be, protected industrial action.

An order (or interim order) for employees or employers to stop or prevent industrial action only applies to unprotected industrial action.

Injunctions

A court may grant an injunction on such terms as considered appropriate if:

a person affected by the contravention or an inspector has applied for the injunction, and
the court is satisfied that another person to whom the order applies has contravened, or proposes to contravene, a term of the order.

Contravening an order to stop – Flowchart

Industrial action by one or more employees or employers that is not, or would not be, protected industrial action:
- is happening
- is threatened, impending or probable, or
- is being organised
1. Application made using Form F14 – Application for an Order to stop etc. (Unprotected) industrial action made to Commission
  1. Commission makes an order that the industrial action stop, not occur or not be organised (as the case may be) for the stop period.
    1. Industrial action continues in contravention of the Commission order.
      1. A person affected by the contravention, or a Fair Work Inspector, may make an application to the courts for the enforcement of the Commission order.
        
        If the Court is satisfied that a person has contravened, or proposes to contravene, a civil remedy provision, the Court may make any order the Court considers appropriate.
        
        The maximum penalty that can be ordered by the court:
        
        for an individual – 60 penalty units = $12,600
        
        for a body corporate – 5 x 60 penalty units = $63,000

References

^[1] United Voice v Foster's Australia Limited t/a Carlton and United Breweries Limited [2014] FWCFB 4104 (Hatcher VP, Gooley DP, Lee C, 2 July 2014) at paras 39–41.

^[2] ibid at para. 38.

^[3] Esso Australia Pty Ltd v The Australian Workers’ Union [2016] FCAFC 72 (25 May 2016) at paras 33, 48.

^[4] Transport Workers' Union of New South Wales v Australian Industrial Relations Commission [2008] FCAFC 26 (6 March 2008) at para. 39.

^[5] Fair Work Act s.418(4).

^[6] Esso Australia Pty Ltd v The Australian Workers’ Union [2016] FCAFC 72 (25 May 2016) at para. 54.

^[7] E. Allen and Ors v Fluor Construction Services Pty Ltd [2014] FWCFB 174 (Ross J, Gostencnik DP, Simpson C, 29 January 2014) at paras 45–47, [(2014) 240 IR 254].

^[8] ibid at para. 47.

^[9] See for eg Maritime Union of Australia, The v Patrick Stevedores Holdings Pty Limited [2014] FWCFB 657 (Hatcher VP, Catanzariti VP, Roberts C, 31 January 2014) at para. 13, [(2014) 240 IR 146]; citing McKewin v Lend Lease Project Management & Construction (Australia) Pty Ltd [2013] FWCFB 2568 (Hatcher VP, Sams DP, Bull C, 3 May 2013) at para. 27, [(2013) 233 IR 252].

^[10] Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd [2013] FCAFC 148 (6 December 2013) at para. 132.

^[11] ibid., at para.133.

^[12] See for eg Australian Capital Territory v Australian Education Union [2010] FWA 3454 (Deegan C, 29 April 2010).

^[13] Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union v Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd [2013] FCAFC 148 (6 December 2013) at para. 132.

Updated time

Last updated

07 June 2018

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