Summary
Amends the
Workplace Relations Act 1996
to require that, in order to be protected industrial action under the Act, such action must be preceded by a secret ballot process overseen by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission; and, consequential on commencement of the proposed
Workplace Relations Amendment (Genuine Bargaining) Act 2002
, allows protected industrial action to be taken without a secret ballot, after a cooling-off period; and provides for the recommencement of protected action after the end of a suspension of a bargaining period. Also contains application and saving provisions.