12.—(1) Nothing in section 17 of the Act or in paragraph 5(7) or (8) of Schedule 3 to the Act shall apply in relation to an act done by a trade union with the support of a ballot in respect of which the first day for the casting of votes falls before the first commencement date.
(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1) of this Article an act is done with the support of a ballot if, but only if, the ballot is a ballot in respect of which the requirements of sections 10 and 11 of the 1984 Act (without the amendments to those sections made by section 17 of the Act and paragraphs 5(7) and (8) of Schedule 3 to the Act) are satisfied.