-By ArdorComm News Network
September 17, 2024
Junior doctors in England have accepted a 22.3% pay increase proposed by the government, officially ending a series of strikes that disrupted patient care over the past 18 months. The strikes were sparked by dissatisfaction with below-inflation wage increases since 2010 and the rising cost of living.
The British Medical Association’s (BMA) Junior Doctors’ Committee confirmed that 66% of its members voted in favor of the pay offer. The deal was presented by the new Labour government soon after it took power in July, aiming to end the industrial action that saw junior doctors stage 11 walk-outs.
Committee co-chairs Robert Laurenson and Vivek Trivedi acknowledged the deal as a positive step, stating it marked “the end of 15 years of pay erosion” and “the beginning of two years of modest above-inflation pay rises.” However, they also highlighted that doctors remain 20.8% behind in real terms compared to 2008.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting welcomed the agreement, emphasizing that the government is addressing the issues left by the previous Conservative administration. He expressed relief that future strikes were averted ahead of winter, a period when the NHS typically faces heightened pressure due to seasonal illnesses.
The junior doctors’ strikes were part of a wider wave of public and private sector walk-outs over pay and working conditions as inflation rates surged. Some junior doctors, despite having years of experience, complained that they were paid less per hour than coffee shop workers.
The Labour government, while rejecting the BMA’s initial demand for a 35% “pay restoration,” moved quickly to resolve the dispute. In addition to the pay increase, Health Secretary Streeting also agreed to rename “junior doctors” as “resident doctors” to better reflect their expertise.
Source: Health. Economic Times