ARTC Enterprise Agreement – Protected Industrial Action Ballot is Underway

Protected Industrial Action Ballot is Underway – VOTE YES TO ALL ACTIONS

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has posted Protected Action Ballot papers to eligible members of the Combined Unions (the RTBU, the ETU, Professionals Australia (APESMA) and the ASU). You should receive your ballot papers in the mail today or over the next few days. The Combined Unions recommend members “VOTE YES” to all actions.

What is the protected action ballot (PAB)?

The Fair Work Act 2009 requires that any activities that might be considered industrial action during the ARTC NSW Enterprise Agreement negotiations be approved by a PAB. A PAB is a secret ballot in which union members are asked to vote on whether or not to approve access to industrial action. Importantly, voting ‘yes’ in a PAB does not necessarily mean we will take the industrial action. Rather, the PAB is an enabling vote – voting ‘yes’ means you vote for the option to access the types of industrial action listed in the ballot. Each action that is voted up by members goes into our ‘toolbox’, and is then a protected form of industrial action we can choose to utilise in the future.

By voting ‘Yes’ you send a clear message to ARTC that you want a fair and equitable EA finalised asap.

Voting in the PAB is an important opportunity for ARTC employees in NSW to send a strong message to management: to demand they protect important conditions, provide equitable entitlements, fair pay increases, and take steps to address safety and compliance issues now.

Do not miss out on this important opportunity to have a say!

We are asking members to support the ballot and vote yes to every type of action. Please vote by carefully following the instructions from the AEC and then by posting the ballot paper back to the AEC as soon as possible. Please contact your union if you have any questions or concerns about the process or why we are doing this (details at the bottom of the page). The Combined Unions will be contacting members by email and telephone over the coming week to ensure that you have received your ballot paper, have voted, and have posted your ballot back to the AEC.

The ballot paper you receive from the AEC will ask you to vote yes or no to a number of proposed actions.

Read the full list of proposed actions here.