This was a long and agonising decision to make. I stood in the crew room in the month of Oct advising the crew to accept the offer that was on the table. In all 5 ballots that took place over a 1,000 members did not use their ballot paper. In the last ballot for industrial action still a 1,000 plus did not return their ballot papers. Listening to those that voted to take industrial action, many indicated to me that they would go to work. The message I took from this is that they wanted the Reps to stand on the picket line while they continued to work. Even now the Reps have been receiving emails and texts indicating there is no real appetite for industrial action. As a person of principle and values I could not ask the people to accept the offer with one breath, and with the next breath ask them to go out on strike because 61% of those who bothered to return their ballot paper did not accept the offer. This is approimately 30% of the entire union membership.
I respect all of those people whom returned their ballot, regardless of which way they voted. I also have respect for those Reps which remain on the committee and are committed to finding a resolve. Personally I have stood on the committee from 1999 and feel that now is the right time for me to move on. I hope the crew will respect my deceision.