LONDON: Hundreds of docs in England started a five-day strike on Friday (Nov 14) over pay and coaching posts, the thirteenth walkout by medics since March 2023.
Well being Minister Wes Streeting condemned the strike by some resident docs – who’re under advisor degree and make up half the medical workforce in hospitals.
Streeting accused the management of the docs’ union, the British Medical Affiliation (BMA), of “selecting confrontation over care”.
“This strike is not about equity anymore. It is about political posturing,” he alleged within the right-wing Every day Telegraph newspaper.
“We can not and won’t transfer on pay, particularly not after a 28.9 per cent pay rise during the last three years and the very best pay award throughout your complete public sector within the final two,” he added.
The functioning of the state-funded Nationwide Well being Service (NHS) is a serious political concern in Britain, with the federal government of beleaguered Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer underneath strain to carry down ready instances for sufferers.
The NHS’ means to scale back ready lists has been affected partially by repeated industrial motion by each resident docs and consultants.
The BMA argues that the resident docs want a 26 per cent pay hike to revive their earnings to the actual worth they’d 20 years in the past.
The union can be demanding a rise in coaching posts.
