Just out of interest, what is the legal position of industrial action if not the union's way forward?
That's an interesting question. Hopefully somebody who isn't boycotting the last few briefings can ask the Union reps. For industrial action to be official and enjoy the legal protection that goes with that label there must be a ballot for that action and the ballot must be called by the union. I've been able to find cases where unions wouldn't sanction action even though there was a positive vote (usually because the vote was too close) but not where the union wouldn't ballot for action in the first place.