There are several reasons it is important to vote in a ballot:
- It empowers the BMA to appropriately represent SAS doctors’ interests.
- A strong “yes” vote provides us with greater leverage when it comes to negotiations with Government.
- A strong “yes” provides us with a mandate to call for a strike, escalating our campaign to improve SAS doctors’ pay and working lives.
- For our ballot to be successful, we need a minimum turnout of 50% of our SAS membership. That means every vote counts, and however you choose to vote, the most important thing you can do is to ensure your voice is heard by returning your ballot as soon as you can.
The BMA will continue our negotiations with the Government, in the hope of preventing the need for strike action and getting a credible offer that we can put to members. However, we need to prepare for the worst case scenario that talks do not progress as hoped and therefore industrial action is inevitable to reach the best deal possible. A strong indication that members are willing to take action, however, can help us with these discussions.