Junior doctors in England are set to begin a week-long strike today, an extension of their months-long strike and the country’s ‘longest doctors’ strike ever’. Promotion ends next Tuesday.
They argue for their drastic measures as follows: As workloads and waiting lists reach record levels, salaries for doctors in training have fallen by more than a quarter since 2008.
“A crippling cost-of-living crisis, burning below inflation and rising wages risk driving hard-working doctors out of the profession, at the expense of the services we all rely on to care for our loved ones.
According to junior doctors, the concession offered by the government is often insufficient to meet their demand.
The government says a ‘junior doctor’ earns £32,000 (€37,000) in the first year. The BMA (British Medical Association), the union representing 46,000 practicing doctors, says their wages have fallen by a quarter since 2008, adjusted for inflation.
The government negotiated in the autumn to defuse the situation before winter. A 3 percent pay rise was promised in early December, up from the average 8.8 percent offered in the summer. But the BMA says the government has been “unable to put forward a credible plan” to address the loss of purchasing power.
The United Kingdom has experienced several strikes since mid-2022 as a result of the purchasing power crisis. Inflation was above 10 percent for a long time. However, it has declined recently, reaching 3.9 percent in November.
The BBC reported that half of all trainee doctors have joined the strike. Current action is limited to the UK. Scottish doctors have already reached an agreement. Another operation is planned in Wales later this year.
In this video They explain the reasons for their dissatisfaction and their recent actions.
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