Application for approval of the Marubeni-Itochu Tubulars Oceania Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2025

[1] Marubeni-Itochu Tubulars Oceania Pty Ltd (the Employer) has applied for approval of an enterprise agreement known as the Marubeni-Itochu Tubulars Oceania Pty Ltd Enterprise Agreement 2025 (the Agreement). The application was made pursuant to s.185 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (the Act). The Agreement is a single-enterprise agreement.

[2] The Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 (Cth) made a number of changes to enterprise agreement approval processes in Part 2-4 of the Act, commencing operation on 6 June 2023. The notification time for the Agreement under s.173(2) was 22 April 2025 and the Agreement was made on 16 June 2025. Accordingly, the genuine agreement requirements and the better off overall test requirements are those applying on and from 6 June 2023.

[3] The Fair Work Commission (the Commission) raised certain concerns regarding the Agreement with the Employer, and as a result, the Employer has provided written undertakings. A copy of the undertakings is attached at Annexure A. There were no bargaining representatives for the Agreement. Therefore, the Commission was not required to seek the views of any person or organisations, for the purposes of satisfying s.190(4) of the Act.

[4] I am satisfied that the undertakings will not cause financial detriment to any employee covered by the Agreement and that the undertakings will not result in substantial changes to the Agreement. Pursuant to s.190 of the Act, I accept the undertakings. In accordance with s.201(3) of the Act, I note that the undertakings are taken to be a term of the Agreement.

[5] The Agreement does not contain a workplace delegates' rights term as required under s.205A of the Act for agreements made on or after 1 July 2024. Pursuant to s.205A(2) of the Act, the workplace delegates' rights term prescribed by the Storage Services and Wholesale Award 2020 is attached to the Agreement and taken to be a term of it.

[6] I have taken into consideration the material filed in the Commission. Subject to the undertakings referred to above, I am satisfied that each of the requirements of ss.186, 187, 188 and 190 as are relevant to this application for approval have been met. The Agreement does not cover all of the employees of the employer, however, taking into account s.186(3) and (3A) I am satisfied that the group of employees was fairly chosen.

[7]

The Agreement is approved and, in accordance with s.54 of the Act, will operate from 5 August 2025. The nominal expiry date of the Agreement is 29 July 2029.

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