Resident doctors in England have voted in favour of strike action which could see walkouts last until January next year, the British Medical Association has announced.
It means the NHS faces huge disruption from tens of thousands of resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, going on strike in an attempt to secure a 29 per cent pay rise.
Despite being awarded a 5.4 per cent pay rise for this financial year, the BMA have said that wages are still around 20 per cent lower in real terms than in 2008.
The trade union said that 90 per cent of its members had voted in favour of industrial action and are demanding “pay restoration”.
It said that there is “still time to avert strike action” as it urged the Government to “come forward as soon as possible with a credible path to pay restoration”.
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said in a statement: “Doctors have spoken and spoken clearly: they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008.
“Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong.
“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 round the table with us.
“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.”
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