The main message is<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The BMA is asking for emergency action only \u2013 with doctors attending their place of work – but not doing work that can safely be postponed to the next day<\/p>\n
\u00b7 There are two questions on the ballot paper \u2013 including the \u2018strike\u2019 question \u2013 the BMA are NOT asking doctors to strike<\/p>\n
\u00b7 The BMA has to ask the \u2018strike\u2019 question for LEGAL REASONS \u2013 to protect the BMA and its members from legal challenge<\/p>\n
\u00b7 If doctors agree to taking the minimal action (ie emergency action only, whilst at work) \u2013 it is ESSENTIAL that they vote YES\/YES to both questions. The BMA would never ask doctors actually to contemplate \u2018strike\u2019 action without a fresh ballot (and I doubt we would ever secure that agreement)<\/p>\n
\u00b7 Even if doctors vote Yes\/Yes in the ballot \u2013 it does not commit them to actually taking action on the day<\/p>\n
\u00b7 The three messages for the public are<\/p>\n
o THE GOVERNMENT\u2019S PROPOSALS ARE UNFAIR \u2013 DOCTORS WILL END UP PAYING TWICE AS MUCH AS SOME CIVIL SERVANTS ON THE SAME SALARY<\/p>\n
o WE ARE DETERMINED TO PROTECT PATIENT SAFETY \u2013 OUR ARGUMENT IS WITH GOVERNMENT, NOT PATIENTS<\/p>\n
o OUR PENSIONS WERE COMPREHENSIVELY REVIEWED ONLY 4 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE ALREADY AGREED TO GRADUATED CONTRIBUTIONS, AND INCREASE IN RETIRAL AGE AND IF PENSIONS ARE SEEN AS UNAFFORDABLE IN THE FUTURE \u2013 NEW ARRANGEMENTS MEAN THE DOCTORS PAY THE EXTRA \u2013 NOT THE NHS OR TAXPAYERS<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The main message is The BMA is asking for emergency action only \u2013 with doctors attending their place of work – but not doing work that can safely be postponed to the next day \u00b7 There are two questions … Continue reading