- Conference
- 2022 Virtual Higher Education Conference
- Date
- 14 October 2021
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes that since the introduction of the Trade Union Act, our union and the Service Group Executive (SGE) have failed to adapt to the changing dynamics of the need to win 50% turnouts. We have seen successful ballot actions fail to reach the required threshold to undertake lawful industrial action and this has left behind a legacy of real terms pay cuts, pay freezes, and growing discontent. A key question is what we need to do this time to beat the 50% turnout threshold imposed by the law.
To improve our chances of meeting the 50% threshold required to take industrial action, our SGE took the decision to disaggregate balloting in the most recent round of pay consultation.
We believe that, while it is an understandable response to a frustrating problem imposed upon us by anti-union government forces, it leaves us in a vulnerable position, and presents a real risk to our bargaining position and potentially, the national pay framework.
For example, in a scenario where only a handful of branches achieve a 50% turnout, or where the results differ, the employers know each branch’s position, and our collective strength is lost. How can a branch effect change for its members if they do not meet the threshold turnout for industrial action, or if the branch votes against, in a situation where if aggregated, the result would support such action? We do not believe it is fair to put our hard-working branch officials in this position. We will never have complete strength unless we are together as one, behind a common cause. Together we are stronger. Disunity quietens our members’ voices; the unity of aggregated balloting makes our voices louder.
Conference believes that our current balloting strategy is not working and allows our employers to take advantage. Employers no longer see us as a united force, nullifying our bargaining positions and branch campaigns.
We acknowledge that we also failed to win ballots under an aggregated model, but conference notes that under the current strategy fewer than 10 branches were able to return a 50% turnout in recent ballots. It has not worked.
This conference believes that the status quo is unsustainable. If we are unable to hold employers fully to account, we weaken the strength of our members. We need to take the power back for our members and maximise the strength of this union.
Conference calls upon the Service Group Executive to do the following:
1)Suspend plans to hold disaggregated ballots aside from in exceptional circumstances, to be outlined by a full review.