Resident doctors have voted in favour of strikes that could result in industrial action lasting until January next year, the British Medical Association said in a statement on Tuesday (8 July).
However, the leaders of the resident doctors committee (RDC) are clear that there is still time to avert strike action.
Speaking on the ballot, RDC co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt noted that doctors have spoken clearly that they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008.
“We now find ourselves at a crucial crossroads. Last year, when in opposition, Mr Streeting said that the solution to strikes was to talk to resident doctors. It was as true then as it is now. He made a point of acting quickly to grasp the issue and negotiate a solution. Only a few weeks ago, he again said he wanted to get back around the table with us,” the group said.
“Now we will see if he can once again make the right decision. He needs to come forward as soon as possible with a credible path to pay restoration. All we need is a credible pay offer and nobody need to strike.”
The group noted that doctors don’t take industrial action lightly, but that it is preferable to ‘watching their profession wither away’.
“The next move is the Government’s. Will it repeat the mistakes of its predecessor? Or will it do the right thing and negotiate a path to full pay restoration and the restoration of doctors’ confidence in our profession’s future?”
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