Originally Posted by
bermyandy
Is this a crystal ball question... but is there a way of finding out when the strike would be IF it happened?
Or is that also in the ballot?
UK law relating to industrial dispute means that the company must be given a certain amount of notice of industrial action.
What that basically means is that although we can't say when the strike is likely to be, we can say when it definitely won't be, given that amount of notice. From memory (and it is a while since I had to look this up for the last strike), it's about a week for a ballot, a week to hold the ballot. The result is then declared (and presuming the ballot is in favour of industrial action), the union must give notice of intent to hold industrial action - but in reality expect another round of negotiations in the event of a yes vote. You therefore wouldn't expect any action within about a month of announcement of a ballot - which brings us neatly into December. I do have to wonder if crew would want to face a pay packet cut at Christmas though as a result of strike action...
There is also a period within which industrial action must be taken after a ballot, or a re-ballot is required. I can't recall what that is off the top of my head.