You can help power up the bargaining process, and strengthen our hand in negotiations with management, by voting "Yes" in the Protected Action Ballot, which opens at midday on Tuesday 19 March.
Before NTEU members at VU can legally take industrial action, there first needs to be a ballot, or vote, of all members working at the University. The protected action ballot will open at Midday on Tuesday March 19 and will be held over email from next week. Voting will close at 4pm on Thursday March 28.
Why do we need this?
NTEU members have been negotiating with VU since August last year and in that time management has failed to agree on a wide range of issues, including improvements to workloads, pay and job security - issues that have been agreed to by managements at other Universities. In a nutshell, unfortunately VU management has not agreed to many of the members’ claims.
See this factsheet to Compare the Difference between your VU NTEU claims and management’s position.
As a result, at the Members’ Meeting on 15 February, members overwhelmingly voted to apply to the Fair Work Commission for a protected action ballot. All members at VU will be sent an electronic ballot by a company called TrueVote on Tuesday March 19 from midday. You will be asked whether you support each form of industrial action.
Questions about industrial Action?
What is it, how does it work and how it affects you?
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The VU NTEU branch committee is encouraging members to vote yes on each of the 10 forms of industrial action/bans, as this will maximise the options members can take to put pressure on management to achieve a new Agreement we can all be proud of.
Everyone needs to vote!
All members are strongly encouraged to vote in the ballot ASAP when it opens. The Fair Work Act requires that for a protected action ballot to be valid a majority of members must vote in the ballot. If a majority of members don't vote it will fail automatically, even if all of those members who vote vote in favour of the actions and bans. 50 per cent of members at VU must vote and more than 50 per cent of those who vote must approve the actions/bans for members to have the right to take them.
It’s vitally important that everyone votes to ensure all members’ voices are heard and a strong and resounding vote for industrial action will send a clear message to VU management that members stand behind your Log of Claims and your bargaining team.
When can I vote?
Voting opens: midday Tuesday 19 March
Voting closes: 4pm, Thursday 28 March
Add the Protected Action Voting dates to your calendar here
The email with voting instructions from TrueVote should go to your work email address. If you don't receive it, check your spam and clutter folders. If it is not there, check the email address you use for your NTEU membership.
Members are encouraged to vote early and to let the VU NTEU Branch office know once you have voted via this google form. Encourage your fellow members in your workplace to vote in the ballot - all votes count and the more the better.
DOWNLOAD, PRINT & PUT UP this VOTE YES POSTER
As a reminder, a University employee who is an NTEU representative shall have the right to post any official NTEU notice in each staff room of the University; and to distribute any official notice of the Union to members in each section or department of the University. This includes the Vote Yes poster.
If you've any questions email the branch [email protected] or check out the website for more information.