On 16 November 2018, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia – Victorian Branch (the Guild) lodged a collective bargaining notification on behalf of its current and future members to enable members to collectively negotiate, through the Guild, with electricity retailers for supply of electricity in Victoria.
The Guild proposes to invite members (other than those who operate from premises within an embedded electricity network) to provide their electricity usage data to the Guild, which will use this data to negotiate with electricity retailers on behalf of the group of members. Guild members will then be offered the opportunity to enter into individual contracts, on otherwise standard commercial terms, for the supply of electricity with the electricity retailer who has offered the best/lowest rate to members. The proposed arrangements are voluntary.
The Guild proposes to collect a commission calculated by reference to the value of members’ individual contracts. The Guild will disclose details of the commission to its members.
On 19 December 2018, the ACCC released a Statement of Reasons not objecting to the notified conduct. The ACCC decided to allow the immunity provided by the notification to remain in force for ten years from the date it was lodged. That is, the immunity will remain in force until 15 November 2028, unless it is withdrawn or revoked. Further information about this decision is available in the Statement of Reasons below.
