“There isn’t a precedent for this in the history of British trade unions.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said that he cannot understand why resident doctors are going on strike after having had a 28.9% pay increase from the Labour government.
Resident doctors, previously known as junior doctors, have said that they will strike for five days from the 25 July after voting in favour of fresh action over pay.
The British Medical Association (BMA) said it had met with the health secretary to try and “avoid strike action” on Tuesday, but that the government had “stated that it will not negotiate on pay”.
Speaking to LBC, Streeting said: “The threat of strike action by resident doctors, is so concerning because it risks plunging the progress we’re making into reverse. It’s the last thing the NHS needs, it’s the last thing the country needs, I also think it’s the last thing that NHS staff need.”
He added: “What I cannot understand and I think other NHS staff let alone the country cannot understand is how having had a 28.9% pay increase from this government resident doctors are now saying we’re going out on strike, there isn’t a precedent for this in the history of British trade unions.”
Resident doctors have been given a 5.4% pay rise for this financial year, following a 22% increase over the previous two years.
However, the BMA says wages are still around 20% lower in real terms than in 2008. It said in a statement: “Doctors have spoken and spoken clearly: they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008. Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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