Ticket sales close 10 March 2026 to allow time to mail training booklets.

Duration/time: Two half-days: Tuesday, 24 and Thursday 26 March, 9:30am-1:00pm AEDT

Australian employers have been operating in the new world of enterprise bargaining for over a year since the Closing Loopholes changed legislation. In addition, Enterprise Agreement model terms have changed from 26 February 2025.

If you have not retrained since these changes, or your enterprise agreement is approaching its expiry date, this course will upskill the team involved in preparing, negotiating and implementing the enterprise bargaining for your business.

Key learning outcomes

Understand the new bargaining environment post-Closing Loopholes legislation.
Learn how bargaining and workplace culture are related and impact each other.
Discover the difference between direct employee bargaining and union bargaining.
Understand the risks to your business and how to minimise impact.
Gain insights from the ground-breaking first multi-employer bargaining matter managed by ABLA.

Course Overview

With significant reforms now in place following the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act and Closing Loopholes legislation, the architecture of the bargaining system and the bargaining environment has changed dramatically. So where does your business fit in and how will it be impacted?

Enterprise bargaining is a skill that demands constant refinement within an environment that shifts focus regularly, and with the recent changes, every business should review their bargaining strategy in this light.

For businesses that are now facing the prospect of bargaining for the first time, or potentially being exposed to multi-employer bargaining, this is an essential session for you.

Key topics that will be discussed include:

The bargaining system and new architecture
Single interest vs multi-employer
The tactical opportunities and the traps
Key negotiation and communication tactics
Understanding bargaining as a part of an ER plan, not a transactional event.

"It's been close to impossible to find training/materials on EBAs, let alone any resources that were as detailed as your presentation. Thank you for sharing your expertise." Enterprise Bargaining attendee, 2024.

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Schedule each day

9:15 am - Registration opens
9:30 am - Training commences
1:00 pm - Training concludes
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This course is open to all organisations excluding legal service providers, consultants or unions specialising in enterprise bargaining deemed as competitors.

About the trainer

Nigel Ward
CEO and Director
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors (ABLA)

Nigel Ward is one of Australia’s leading advocates and practitioners in employee and industrial relations with more than 35 years of strategic business planning experience.

As CEO of ABLA, Nigel has spearheaded the organisation’s award-winning company culture. He sets the tone in the office with an open management style and sincere approach to looking after each and every client. Nigel approaches all legal issues from a ‘what’s best for your business’ perspective.

As one of Australia’s leading enterprise bargaining advocates and practitioners, Nigel has been at the forefront of modern negotiations since the late 1980s. This in-depth experience has given him a holistic understanding of workplace strategy, bargaining tactics and law.

Appointed as a bargaining representative for over 30 companies in the first ever multi-bargaining application under the Federal Government's new IR Reforms (in the child care sector), Nigel was the pioneer for how multi-bargaining laws are used under the new provisions of the Fair Work Act.

In his capacity as the leading employer industrial advocate, Nigel appears regularly before the Fair Work Commission in major industry cases for the peak employer association, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other major employer organisations.

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FAQs

Who is this course suited for?

General Managers or Managing Directors responsible for commercial operations, Senior Operational Managers, HR Director or Managers, Industrial Relations or Employment Relations Managers, those who have never bargained before but now have to, as well as those who may now be exposed to multi-employer bargaining. Anyone that needs a refresher on the enterprise bargaining process would also benefit.

What's included in the price?

All training course material will be posted to attendees prior to the course start date. No soft copies are available.

How can I contact the organiser with any questions?

Contact Fiona Kenny on 0427 925 113 or fiona.kenny@ablawyers.com.au

What's the refund policy?

Participants will receive a full refund if they cancel at least seven (7) business days prior to the scheduled event. However, if participants cancel less than seven (7) business days before the event, no refund will be made. The place can be transferred to another member of the paid organisation. No-shows or cancellations after 7 days will receive the course training material and supporting documents. If there are insufficient participants, we reserve the right to cancel the event and participants will be transferred to another module of equal value or receive a full refund at their election. We will give three business days’ notice of any such cancellation.

Privacy policy

To understand how we protect your privacy, please refer to our Privacy Policy.

This session is conducted subject to everyone agreeing to the Chatham House Rules which means that participants can use the information in practice in their business but should not identify any organisation, individual or information that can be used to identify them.