Business context

  • 7,000 employees represented by a very strong union
  • Union leadership rejected the companies final offer and were now in a position to call a strike within 72 hours

Communication issue

  • Avert a work stoppage

Solution

  • Built targeted communication plans and supporting materials [key messages, facts sheets, question and answers, new releases, intranet content, communication toolkit for management, etc] for 3 scenarios:  If the offer is accepted; If the offer is rejected without a call for work stoppage; If the offer is rejected with a call for work stoppage;
  • Proactively supported Operations rumour buster approach
  • Coordinated with Operations, Industrial Relations, Media Relations, etc to ensure a fully coordinated approach to communications

Result

  • 85.4 per cent of the workers voted in favour of the company’s offer despite their leadership calling for strike action.