preparing to carry out strike action or ballot their members

[yabi]

I can't understand the meaning of ballot in the following sentence:

Unions across public services are preparing to carry out strike action or ballot their members over pay as they seek to ease the squeeze on living standards from soaring inflation.

Ballot is used for voting but when I searched the internet I find following meaning as well:
decide the allocation of (something) to applicants by drawing lots. Does it mean they want to help the workers with some sort of aid like coupon or so?
Still it doesn't help me to understand the meaning of the word in the sentence.
This news is about strikes in Englsnd due to energy crisis.

 

[emsr2d2]

A ballot is a vote. They are considering getting their members to vote on a pay issue.

You need to tell us where you found the quote you gave. It's a legal requirement due to copyright issues. If possible, provide a link. If you can't do that, please tell us the name of the publication/website and the name of the author.

 

[yabi]

I read it in a site. I don't have the link address now, but I can send it tomorrow. I did a si,ple search in the Internet and I found following site, covering the same story:

www.reuters.com/article/uk-bt-strike-idUKTRE6642XP20100705

LONDON (Reuters) - The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said on Monday it had cancelled a ballot for industrial action by staff at telecoms company BT due to fears of a legal challenge.

 

[tetrahall]

You need to tell us where you found the quote you gave. It's a legal requirement due to copyright issues. If possible, provide a link. If you can't do that, please tell us the name of the publication/website and the name of the ...

Here you are:

UK nurses to stage walkout over pay row - video​

Unions across public services are preparing to carry out strike action or ballot their members over pay as they seek to ease the squeeze on living standards from soaring inflation.

Note: You'll find it on the lower half of the following page:

UK troops on standby as public services set for Christmas strikes

About 2,000 military personnel, civil servants and volunteers being drafted in to provide cover

www.thenationalnews.com