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By Peter McLaren-Kennedy • Published: 20 Feb 2023 • 10:03 • 2 minutes read
Seven days of strikes. Credit: Vichie86 / Shutterstock.com
More than 97 per cent of GMB union members voted to go on strike in what will be the first time in their history.
The news comes on Monday, February 20, the same day ambulance workers stage another walkout. Speaking to Sky News GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison accused the government of being “tin-eared.”
She said: “It has been over a month since the government engaged in any meaningful dialogue.
“They are missing in action and refuse to talk pay.”
Referring to the loss of staff and difficulties involved in recruiting she added: “Solving the issue of pay is vital if we’re going to stem the tide of dedicated healthcare workers leaving the profession.”
The President of the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association HCSA Dr Naru Narayanan said: “Junior doctors have held together patient care amid a spiralling staffing crisis.
“In return for this huge emotional, mental and physical toll they’ve been subjected to a decade of real-term pay cuts totalling over 26%. Enough is enough.”
The British Medical Association BMA has also balloted its members with results due to be announced at the end of the month. If they vote to strike that could see a further 45,000 junior doctors walk out.
The BMA has said that a three-day strike will be staged should junior doctors vote in favour of industrial action.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay hit back saying: “Strikes are in nobody’s best interests and only cause further disruption for patients, despite contingency measures in place.
“It is time unions engaged constructively with the pay review body process for 2023/24 and cancelled strikes so we can move forward and continue tackling the COVID-19 backlog.
“I’ve been clear throughout that I remain keen to keep talking to unions about what is fair and affordable for the coming financial year, as well as wider concerns around conditions and workload so we can make the NHS a better place to work.”
Clarifying doctor’s pay a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “As part of a multi-year deal we agreed with the BMA, junior doctors’ pay has increased by a cumulative 8.2% since 2019/20.
“We also introduced a higher pay band for the most experienced staff and increased rates for night shifts.”
There appears to be no resolution in sight with junior doctors to join striking nurses and ambulance workers on the picket line.
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Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.
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