On 1 July 2010, the new bargaining arrangements under the Fair Work Act became operational.

Evidently, the Fair Work Act marks a substantive change in the nature of bargaining arrangements within the Australian context.

First, by removing entrenched collective bargaining arrangements embodied in nationalisation legislation it has provided management an opportunity to restructure employee relations.

Reform and formalization of collective bargaining arrangements were encouraged.

Once an agreement for recognition has been reached, the parties must enter into negotiations on collective bargaining arrangements.

Before applying to the CAC, you must make a request to the union, asking it to voluntarily end collective bargaining arrangements.

If - before the end of this period - the parties agree to end the bargaining arrangements, the matter ends there.

If - before the end of the ten-day period - the union agrees to end the bargaining arrangement, the matter ends there.

However, unlike employers, they do not need to first make a request to the union (or even the employer) to end bargaining arrangements.

The bargaining arrangements would therefore remain in force.