Legislation is needed to demand that a majority of the paid-up union members vote in favour of IA, rather than a majority of those who chose to vote.
I can see why, in relation to this dispute, you would suggest such a thing and part of my head agrees – however, that does effectively remove the right to abstain – I have any issue with the idea of that going forward.
“If you don’t vote we will count it as a NO.”
When you say it like that it does seem kind of wrong, really.
…and is the argument to automatically count it as YES not just as good? –
Try this: You are a paying, supporting member of the union and therefore by default agree to and support its actions in the absence of a specific indication (vote) to the opposite view.
Therefore “If you don’t vote we will count it as a YES”
Neither really works in my view.