Application by Roman Catholic Church Trust Corporation of The Archdiocese of Hobart Trading AS Catholic Education Tasmania & Dominic College Glenorchy Limited Trading AS Dominic College and Others
Citation: [2026] FWC 2997
What happened
Catholic Education Tasmania and four other Catholic education employers (Dominic College, Tasmanian Flexible Schools, St Virgil’s College, and BlendED Tasmania) sought approval to bargain together for a new enterprise agreement. They want to replace the existing Tasmanian Catholic Education Single Enterprise Agreement 2024. The Independent Education Union of Australia supports this application. A similar authorisation was granted in July 2024. BlendED Tasmania is a newer entity providing educational services and has signed an agreement with Catholic Education Tasmania indicating its intention to join future industrial agreements.
What was decided
The Fair Work Commission granted the application for a single interest employer authorisation. This allows the five employers to bargain collectively for a multi-employer enterprise agreement. The Deputy President was satisfied all requirements under the Fair Work Act 2009 were met, including common interests and no public interest concerns. The authorisation is valid for one year or until an agreement is made.
What it means for employers
the Applicant seeking to bargain collectively need to demonstrate identifiable common interests and ensure operations are reasonably comparable. New entities joining a bargaining group should clearly align with existing employers' ethos and objectives, as evidenced by agreements like the Memorandum of Understanding in this case.
What it means for employees
Employees covered by the proposed agreement will be represented by the Independent Education Union of Australia. The authorisation enables collective bargaining for improved terms and conditions through a multi-employer enterprise agreement.
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This summary was drafted from the published decision and reviewed before publishing. It is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, speak to the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified lawyer. About these summaries & corrections →