Enterprise Agreement Voting
Choose to run your enterprise agreement voting process with GoVote’s experienced team.
Streamline the Enterprise Agreement Voting Process
Enterprise agreement negotiations can be time consuming. Once bargaining is complete, you’ll want the approval process to run as smoothly as possible. We can help to run a fair and transparent vote that meets Fair Work or State Industrial Relations Commission requirements for any electorate size or industry.
Independent Returning Officer
Unbiased management for your ballot.
Secret Ballot
Protect voter rights and privacy.
Electronic Voting Options
Convenient and compliant voting channels.
Cost Effective
Minimise postage material and counting costs.
Experienced Local Provider
Solutions for any number of voters.
EBA Voting Client Testimonials
“On the Line Australia Ltd engaged GoVote to administer the EBA voting process. From the time of requesting a quote to receiving the final ballot reports, the process went extremely smoothly. Their attention to detail and responsiveness to questions throughout the process was exceptional.”Karen Jenkins, General Manager People and Culture, On the Line Australia
“We used GoVote to assist us with our first ever electronic EBA ballot. We were in unchartered waters and we found their communication, planning, support and customer service to be outstanding. The process was both seamless and efficient and saved us many hours and resources compared to a manual vote. I could not recommend them more highly.”Joe Iaccarino, HR Business Partner
“GoVote made our Enterprise Agreement voting process simple from the get go with detailed, effective planning and consistent support. The voting channels we utilised were telephone, SMS and Online. I would definitely recommend GoVote to other companies and will use them again in future.”Ellen Beggs, HR/OH&S Co-ordinator - NSW, GPIAC Ltd
“GoVote’s system and customer service were superior to every other provider we looked at. Their dedication, personal attention, and the efficiency of the ballot management system led to us securing our highest ever participation rate and voter approval.”Patrick Steele, Workplace Relations Manager, La Trobe University
“I found the support and service provided by GoVote to be responsive, professional and timely. I felt very confident in our process, and found the ease of use of the portal to be outstanding.”General Manager Human Resources, The Bethanie Group Inc
“GoVote provided a highly professional service to facilitate two Enterprise Agreement Ballots. The usability of their system was excellent and Tim was extremely flexible and happy to accommodate changes as we went through the pre vote process.”Alix Lasance, HR Business Partner
Planning for your EBA ballot
When planning the approval process for your new enterprise agreement there are a number of things to think about. If you choose to work with us we’ll document everything in a detailed plan before voting starts. We take the same meticulous approach to each ballot no matter the electorate size.
Getting the timing right
The Fair Work Commission has two key timing requirements before a vote can take place. These are:
21 Clear Days
Voting cannot take place until at least 21 “clear” days after the issue of the last notice of employee representational rights.
Seven day "Access Period"
There must be a seven day “Access Period” that ends immediately before voting starts. This may or may not overlap the 21 clear days.
The length of the actual voting period is at your discretion. Depending on the workforce and number of voters this could be as short as a day, or multiple weeks.
The Access Period
So that your employees can cast an informed vote they’ll need access to relevant information. As the name suggests, this is what the Access Period is for. Employers need to take reasonable steps before the Access Period starts to ensure employees have information about the following two areas:
Voting Process Instructions
These should cover when, where and how to vote. You’ll have all this information from us in a detailed Ballot Management Plan before your ballot so this part is easy. Usually, clients will send general voting information directly to their employees which is in addition to the communications sent by GoVote.
The Enterprise Agreement
Most clients prefer to manage access to the Enterprise Agreement and other incorporated materials themselves. You will need to take reasonable steps to explain the terms of the agreement and their effect on employees in an appropriate way for your audience. We can help by providing links to relevant documents directly on the voting web page, and customising our communications as needed.
Designing the Ballot
Enterprise agreements are approved by a majority yes or no vote. The Fair Work Commission doesn’t specify how the vote should be conducted, so this is at the discretion of the employer. There are a number of reasons why it makes sense to engage a professional third party like GoVote to run your EBA ballot. Here are three of the most important.
Independence
Appointing an independent third party to manage the vote puts the result beyond doubt. If it’s a close outcome you’ll want the voting process to be rock solid.
Secret Ballot
Contentious vote? Reduce voter coercion and intimidation by keeping voter preferences secret. All of our voting channels protect your voter’s privacy.
Electronic Voting
Spending a fortune on post, only to have it go missing in transit? Switch to modern voting channels to improve accuracy and the bottom line at the same time.
For more information see how it works or contact us to get a detailed proposal for your ballot.
Enterprise Agreement Variation
Employers and their employees may agree to vary an existing enterprise agreement, but such a variation has no effect unless it is approved by the Fair Work Commission. The approval process includes an Access Period and vote as outlined above for new agreements, and GoVote can help in the same ways.
Enterprise Agreement Termination
If you are terminating an existing enterprise agreement or an agreement-based transitional instrument GoVote can help with distribution of voting instructions and act as Returning Officer for the vote. The termination of an agreement has no effect unless it is approved by the Fair Work Commission.
Trusted Enterprise Agreement Voting
GoVote is an Australian industry leader in the delivery of independent enterprise agreement voting services. We work across all industries with organisations big and small, public and private, including some of Australia’s most recognisable names. Our voting services can save you time and ensure an accurate and quick result that can withstand scrutiny.
Organise an EBA Voting Process
Get a detailed plan, obligation free, for your upcoming vote.