TASMANIAN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION

Industrial Relations Act 1984
s.55 application for filing an industrial agreement

Pasminco Rosebery Mine

and

The Australian Workers' Union, Tasmania Branch
Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union
Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal,
Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia

(T10516 of 2002)

PASMINCO ROSEBERY MINE 2002 AGREEMENT

Industrial agreement - application approved - operative date 2 August 2002 for two years

REASONS FOR DECISION

(1) On 31 October 2002 the Pasminco Rosebery Mine, The Australian Workers' Union, Tasmania Branch (AWU), the Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union (AFMEPKIU) and the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia (CEPU) lodged with the Acting Registrar, pursuant to Section 55(2) of the Industrial Relations Act 1984, the Pasminco Rosebery Mine 2002 Agreement.

(2) When this matter came on for hearing on Friday 8 November 2002, Mr W J Fitzgerald, of the Australian Mines and Metals Association Inc., and Mr D Buscall, appeared for Pasminco Rosebery Mine. Mr R Flanagan, with Mr I Wakefield, Mr G Austin and Mr R Benion, appeared for the AWU. Mr P Baker appeared for the AFMEPKIU. Mr K Becker appeared for the CEPU.

(3) This Agreement replaces the Pasminco Roseberry [Mining] Agreement 1999.

(4) Mr Fitzgerald explained that the new Agreement was the product of extensive discussions with a single bargaining unit over several months. The main changes include the following:

• Expanded consultative arrangements.
• A relocation allowance to be paid in the event of redundancies.
• A "buy out" of the existing heat subsidy and monthly bank fee allowances.
• A 3.5% salary adjustment made up of a flat salary increase coupled with a performance component, effective from 1 July 2003.
• Revised shift changeover arrangements.

(5) Mr Flanagan submitted that the industrial relations arrangements at the mine site had, in recent years, contributed significantly to the very survival of the mine. As such the approval of this Agreement was, he submitted, entirely consistent with the public interest.

(6) Mr Baker and Mr Becker supported the submissions of Mr Flanagan and urged that the Agreement be approved.

(7) I have no hesitation in concluding that the Agreement is consistent with both the Wage Fixing Principles and the public interest requirements of the Act.

(8) Pursuant to Section 55[4] of the Act the Agreement is approved operative from 2 August 2002 and shall remain in force for a period of two years.

(9) The file will now be referred to the Acting Registrar for registration in accordance with the requirements of Section 56(1) of the Act.

Tim Abey
COMMISSIONER

Appearances:
Mr W J Fitzgerald, of the Australian Mines and Metals Association Inc., and Mr D Buscall, for Pasminco Rosebery Mine
Mr R Flanagan, with Mr I Wakefield, Mr G Austin and Mr R Benion, for The Australian Workers' Union, Tasmania Branch
Mr P Baker for the Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union
Mr K Becker for the the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia

Date and Place of Hearing:
2002
November 8
Hobart