Case Studies

Maddocks advises Victorian TAFE client on industrial relations arrangements

• 19 March 2021 • 2 min read

In Australia, TAFE institutions provide a wide range of predominantly vocational courses, mostly qualifying courses under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/Australian Quality Training Framework.

Maddocks advised a Victorian TAFE client with a large workforce and body of students on its industrial relations arrangements. The current arrangements which were in place were complex and challenging to understand. The TAFE needed to simplify their obligations under two enterprise agreements and relevant policies into one easy to understand guide in order to execute an organisational review.

Mapping the process for practical application

The client required assistance from a legal provider to ease the process of going through an organization review and help it to undertake all steps involved in the process. This included advice on its consultation materials, and drafting relevant documents and contracts.

The team at Maddocks has extensive experience advising on industrial relations issues for numerous Victorian government and educational institutions and has assisted in successfully addressing and advising on complex industrial arrangements.

The client engaged Maddocks because of our knowledge of the public sector more broadly and of the education sector in particular. "We have also worked with the management team at other organisations and they trust us to give them effective, practical and accurate legal advice” says Lindy Richardson, Partner at Maddocks.

A practical approach to organisational restructuring

The Maddocks team on this matter included Victoria-based partner Lindy Richardson, a senior associate, and lawyer Eloise Daff.

The team approached the challenge of the organisational review by first understanding the outcomes the TAFE wanted to reach and how its proposed organisational review would help it achieve that goal.

Maddocks took a practical approach, understanding the client’s goals and applying prior knowledge and experience from supporting clients on similar matters. This meant that Maddocks had to ensure it was possible for the client to follow a clear, simple and concise process plan.

This involved drafting a process map, followed later by supporting documentation. A member of the Maddocks team also joined the client on secondment to refine the plan and collaborate closely with the Human Resources team to ensure a smooth implementation.

Over the course of 9 months, the team was able to deliver a process map that simplified all the industrial and legal obligations, assist the client in drafting the documentation to implement the process and implement an organisational restructure without disputation.

The process map and documents developed are now used to implement additional restructures and identify opportunities for positive change.