About single and multi-enterprise agreements

Most agreements are single enterprise agreements.

An employer may make a single enterprise agreement with its employees. An agreement covers employees when they:

• are employees at the time the agreement is made
• start work for the employer after the agreement is made.

Find out how to:

• Make a single enterprise agreement.
• Apply for approval of an agreement.

About related employers

In some cases, 2 or more employers may make a single enterprise agreement. They must be related employers, which means they are one of the following:

• a joint venture or common enterprise
• related body corporate entities
• employers that carry on similar business activities under the same franchise and are franchisees of the same franchisor and/or related bodies corporate of the same franchisor.

Two or more employers may make a multi-enterprise agreement. The agreement is only with the people who are:

• employees at the time the agreement is made AND
• employees who will be covered by the agreement.

Employers must follow the process to make a multi-enterprise agreement.

Representatives for a multi-enterprise agreement may apply for a supported bargaining authorisation. This is a special set of rules that help low-paid employees take part in bargaining.

Where employers have clearly identifiable common interests, representatives can apply for a single-interest employer authorisation.

Unless we have issued a supported bargaining authorisation or a single-interest employer authorisation, multi-enterprise agreements are co-operative workplace agreements. 

From 27 February 2024, an employer may transition from a supported bargaining agreement or a single interest employer agreement that has not yet passed its nominal expiry date, to a single enterprise agreement.

Before requesting employees to vote on a single enterprise agreement, an employer must have:

• agreement in writing to the making of the request from all relevant employee organisations covered by the supported bargaining agreement or single interest employer agreement, or
• a voting request order.

A voting request order can be made by the Commission on application.