Junior doctors begin three-day strike

The BMA says that newly qualified medics make £14.09 an hour, less than a barista in a coffee shop.

Junior doctors strike

Junior doctors have begun three days of strike action from today, over poor pay and conditions.

The British Medical Association (BMA) says that junior doctors have experienced a cut of more than 25% to their salaries since 2008/09 and warns that the lack of investment in wages by the Government has made it harder to recruit and retain junior doctors.

The Tories have refused to negotiate with the BMA on junior doctor pay restoration, which the body says has left it with no choice but to call for a NHS junior doctors’ strike.

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) in England will form picket lines outside hospitals across the country today in the longest-ever period of industrial action by junior doctors.

The BMA says that newly qualified medics make £14.09 an hour, less than a barista in a coffee shop.

An advertising campaign launched by the trade union says: “Pret a Manger has announced it will pay up to £14.10 per hour. A junior doctor makes just £14.09.

“Thanks to this government you can make more serving coffee than saving patients. This week junior doctors will take strike action so they are paid what they are worth.”

As many as 61,000 junior – or trainee – doctors will take part in strike action this week.

Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward

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