The British Medical Association [BMA] has announced that 98% of Junior doctors have opted for strike action in England.
Among the 47,692 doctors eligible to take part in the ballot, 36,218 voted and the results overwhelmingly supported the strike action. The BMA announced that the strike action would be held in March, with no date confirmed at the time of publishing the report.
The announcement of the strike action by the junior doctors is a clear indication of the health care crisis the in UK. In the past few months, the nurses and ambulance workers have also conducted strike actions.
Vivek Trivedi, the co-chair of BMA, said: “We warned warned them what was coming four months ago and now the strike action is imminent. Within the next few days we will be confirming the dates of a 72 hour full walkout of junior doctors in all services It is critical that we all participate together as a union, bound together in defence of our profession. Strike action is an investment in our futures, our careers, our profession and our union and a union that can win a full pay restoration is a union that can win anything.”
This is the union’s second strike since 2016. The previous action was taken due to a pay dispute and it was then that the current multi-year pay deal was agreed. As per the current structure, the junior doctors would only receive two % pay-rise.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay stated that he was disappointed with the announcement of the strike action by the junior doctors. The starting salary of a junior doctor in the UK is £29,384 and increases with experience.