What is a strike vote?
A strike vote occurs when the bargaining team calls upon its members to give them a “strike mandate.” (That is, the membership gives permission to the Bargaining Team to call for labour disruption in the event that negotiations break down.) It is a vote of the membership conducted by secret ballot and called at a membership meeting. Members are informed in advance of the time and place of the meeting and the vote. At the meeting, members will hear about what the Employer is demanding in terms of concessions (i.e., losses of already existing collective agreement rights) and the demands of the Union that the Employer is refusing to grant. Voting occurs on at least two consecutive days and is conducted by secret ballot. On the ballot, members are asked whether they are in favour of the negotiating committee taking strike action if negotiations break down. A strong strike mandate allows the Union’s Bargaining Team to return to the table in a stronger position.
