Scottish junior medical doctors vote in favour of 72-hour strike motion over ‘unacceptable’ pay

Junior medical doctors in Scotland have voted for strike motion in a row over pay.

BMA Scotland stated that with greater than 5,000 junior medical doctors within the nation eligible to vote, turnout was in extra of 71% following a five-week poll.

A complete of three,610 votes had been solid, and virtually 97% voted in favour of strike motion.

The union stated that whereas negotiations with the Scottish authorities over pay are ongoing, it can use “this clear mandate for strike action” to push ahead in its ongoing efforts to reverse the “unacceptable pay erosion” junior medical doctors in Scotland have “suffered for more than a decade”.

If the federal government doesn’t “put forward a credible offer”, the British Medical Association stated its junior medical doctors will then start preparations for a 72-hour walkout at dates to be confirmed in the end.

An enhance of 4.5% has been rejected, with junior medical doctors claiming the supply was a real-terms pay reduce.

The Scottish authorities has beforehand stated the BMA’s pay calls for had been “simply unaffordable”.

Dr Chris Smith, chair of the BMA’s Scottish Junior Doctors Committee, stated: “This ballot result shows, beyond doubt, that junior doctors in Scotland have had enough.”

Dr Smith claimed “years of pay erosion” has led to the take residence wage of a newly certified FY1 physician decline by 23.5% in real-terms in comparison with 2008, and the pay of a mean registrar decreased by 23.9%.

He added: “This is simply unacceptable, and we are no longer prepared to stand aside, feeling overworked and undervalued, while witnessing so many junior doctors seeking employment abroad or outside the NHS where our considerable skills are properly valued.”

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The union stated progress is being made with the Scottish authorities in formal negotiations, however “there is still some work to do”.

Dr Smith stated: “In the meantime – we will use this mandate to urge the cabinet secretary to signal a clear commitment to investing in the future of Scottish junior doctors, to make Scotland’s NHS an attractive place to train, grow and progress our careers, and show us that the work we do is finally properly, and fairly, valued and appreciated.”

Scotland’s Health Secretary Michael Matheson stated he was “disappointed” over the poll consequence and stated industrial motion was in “no one’s interest”.

He added: “I’ll proceed to do all I can to avert industrial motion in NHS Scotland.

“Negotiations to agree a pay uplift are already underneath manner. As these negotiations are held in confidence, it will be inappropriate to supply any additional particulars at the moment.”