JUNE 28, 2023
By Harry Mottram: Discontent with the failure of wages to keep up with inflation along with cuts in services leading to working conditions being hit have continued to fuel the flames of industrial discontent across various sectors. The latest group to take strike action are NHS hospital consultants who plan a 48-hour walkout on 20 and 21 July, 2023.
The British Medical Association members backed walkouts with 86% in favour of action which will inevitably lead to some operations and consultations being postponed at Bath RUH.
This comes on top of further action by their colleagues the junior doctors who plan strikes from 13-18 July.
The BBC reported: “Consultants will be providing what is being described as Christmas Day cover during their own strike – so emergency care will be provided, along with a very limited amount of routine work.”
British Medical Association (BMA) consultants committee chair, Dr Vishal Sharma, said: “Consultants don’t want to have to take industrial action, but have been left with no option in the face of a government that continues to cut our pay year after year.”
The BMA said that pay for NHS Consultants has fallen by 27% since 2008 once RPI inflation is taken into account, but taking in changes to tax and pension contributions the cut was was 35%. However the consultants want a rise to match inflation for now – but the Government have not so far agreed to this and are offering a lower figure.
The nurses in another sector of the NHS have been balloted by the Royal College of Nursing over strike action but failed to achieve a high enough turnout to give the union a mandate.
The photo is from the BMA.
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