Junior doctors may strike throughout the summer if the next government does not move forward negotiations in a “timely manner”, medics have warned as they started a five-day walkout across England. The British Medical Association (BMA) said it stands ready to negotiate and the union has already had some discussions with the Labour Party. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting has promised to hold talks on 5 July if the party wins the general election , the union has said.
The BMA’s junior doctors committee said Mr Streeting’s previous remark that raising pay would be a “journey and not an event” align with their multi-year pay restoration goals. Junior doctors in England have said their pay has been cut by more than a quarter over the past 15 years and have called for pay restoration – equivalent to a 35.3 per cent rise.
But Mr Streeting has said he will not meet that demand, saying that if he gave in then “any trade union worth their salt” would come back the following year with the same request. Despite that, Mr Streeting said there is “space for a discussion” on pay, as well as negotiations on how to improve working conditions for medics in training. Senior BMA members have conceded the union had not pushed enough over the past 15 years , saying they had pinned their hopes on the independent pay review body, which sets doctor pay levels.
They praised the “WhatsApp generation” for their determination and ability to mobilise “instantaneously” usi.
