Part V Industrial action
Requirement of ballot before action by trade union
F1228A Separate workplaces: single and aggregate ballots.
(1)
Where section 228(3) would require separate ballots to be held for each workplace, a ballot may be held in place of some or all of the separate ballots if one of subsections (2) to (4) is satisfied in relation to it.
(2)
This subsection is satisfied in relation to a ballot if the workplace of each member entitled to vote in the ballot is the workplace of at least one member of the union who is affected by the dispute.
(3)
This subsection is satisfied in relation to a ballot if entitlement to vote is accorded to, and limited to, all the members of the union who—
(a)
according to the union’s reasonable belief have an occupation of a particular kind or have any of a number of particular kinds of occupation, and
(b)
are employed by a particular employer, or by any of a number of particular employers, with whom the union is in dispute.
(4)
This subsection is satisfied in relation to a ballot if entitlement to vote is accorded to, and limited to, all the members of the union who are employed by a particular employer, or by any of a number of particular employers, with whom the union is in dispute.
(5)
For the purposes of subsection (2) the following are members of the union affected by a dispute—
(a)
if the dispute relates (wholly or partly) to a decision which the union reasonably believes the employer has made or will make concerning a matter specified in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c) of section 244 (meaning of “trade dispute”), members whom the decision directly affects,
(b)
if the dispute relates (wholly or partly) to a matter specified in subsection (1)(d) of that section, members whom the matter directly affects,
(c)
if the dispute relates (wholly or partly) to a matter specified in subsection (1)(e) of that section, persons whose membership or non-membership is in dispute,
(d)
if the dispute relates (wholly or partly) to a matter specified in subsection (1)(f) of that section, officials of the union who have used or would use the facilities concerned in the dispute.