This afternoon, the union received a call from MTC, who advised that they will be putting the last offer out to a vote.
The members made it very clear after MTC tabled the latest offer that it was not good enough. However, MTC have decided that they still want to proceed with a ballot regardless of the fact that this was rejected by employees.
This is a blatantly ridiculous and very transparent move on MTC’s behalf – they are clearly attempting to derail the stoppage because they are worried that they won’t be able to deal with it. However, the union would like to seek feedback from members before deciding how best to proceed. There are two options:
- Pull the 72-hour stoppage and use these extra days to run a hard ‘no’ campaign regarding MTC’s offer.
- Proceed with the 72-hour stoppage and encourage members to vote no in the ballot.
If MTC puts the EA out to a vote either today or tomorrow, there is a 7-day access period prior to the vote occurring. This means that any vote will commence next week.
It is the view of the union that members’ efforts so far should not go to waste, and that our priority is to ensure that a no vote is successful. We will then be in an even stronger position to demand that MTC puts more money on the table. However, this is your call, and we are seeking your guidance. This has always been, and always will be, an industrial fight run by the members. Please take the time to fill out our survey and let us know how you feel .
If the vote is an overwhelmingly rejection of MTC’s offer (for the second time), we will consult members about what happens next.
The union will be in touch tomorrow with the results of the survey, and to advise of next steps. If you would like to talk to someone from the union in the meantime, please contact Mark Ward or Brian Kirk. You can also call Jess on 0401 521 561 or Kim on 0408 249 277.