Wes Streeting may have just three weeks to agree a pay deal with junior doctors in England or face the NHS being hit by walkouts continuing into 2025. The new Health Secretary will meet the British Medical Association (BMA) junior doctors committee today for the first talks with the Labour Government aimed at staving off further industrial action. Mr Streeting has put the junior doctors’ dispute at the top of his in-tray, fulfilling a promise to call unions in England on “day one” of a Labour government, following his warning that the health service is “broken”.
Both sides are hopeful negotiations can move at pace given the union’s current mandate for industrial action lasting until 19 September and Parliament going into recess on 31 July. If a deal has not been done by that stage, another re-ballot is expected. Should members vote in favour of continuing industrial action , which they’ve signalled is likely without a deal, the next mandate would last until spring next year.
Junior doctors in England first walked out in March 2023 calling for pay restoration to 2008 levels, equivalent to a 35 per cent pay rise. The BMA will not move from that key demand although the union has said it would accept a multi-year pay offer from the Government if that met its objective. However, the Prime Minister will not want to be seen caving in to the BMA.
Just two weeks ago, Sir Keir Starmer used his strongest language to date to warn that Labour would not meet the BMA’s pay d.