Junior doctors in revolt over climbdown on pay by union
JUNIOR doctors are rebelling against their union for compromising with the Government over a controversial new contract.
They have accused the British Medical Association of ‘making us look like fools’ for staging a series of high-profile strikes – apparently all in vain.
On Wednesday night, the Government and the BMA announced they had agreed a draft new contract, ending a ten-month long bitter dispute.
But for the deal to be introduced, it must now be voted on by 55,000 junior doctors in a referendum next month.
Senior BMA officials fear the majority will say ‘no’, meaning they will have to re-start talks with the Government.
Many terms of the new contract seem far worse than those initially proposed and junior doctors will be paid less for weekend work, with lower basic salaries.
One BMA leader admitted it would be an ‘uphill struggle’ persuading doctors to accept the terms. And the chairman of the union’s Junior Doctor Committee, Johann Malawana, has written two messages to members in two days pleading with them not to vote no.
The ballot will begin on June 17 and run for two weeks. But many of the junior doctors are already coercing colleagues to vote no in a show of support
‘Fear and a hell of a lot of anger’
against the union for ‘ selling them out’. One, Shaun Quigley, accused the BMA for ‘ making us look like fools’.
‘Sold us out,’ he wrote on Facebook, while Sarkhell Radha said: ‘Big no is the answer and doctors have to think of resigning from BMA altogether.’
And Qudsia Ahmad Ghaddar posted: ‘After all the hard work this is not what you expected. I can almost see Jeremy Hunt doing a victory dance.’
But in a message to members on Facebook, Mr Malawana, wrote: ‘I know there is fear and a hell of a lot of anger.
‘I believe we have achieved a lot through this contract to address the concerns expressed by junior doctors and to improve the lives of current and future junior doctors.
‘ Many will say it’s not far enough, but to come to a rash judgment without seeing the detailed contract is unwise.’
The dispute led to five waves of strikes including the first total walkout in the history of the NHS, with doctors deserting A&E and maternity units. Many lost several days of pay.
It centred on junior doctors’ weekend pay, with the BMA ini- tially demanding that doctors receive premium rates 30 per cent higher than in the week.
But the reformed deal will mean doctors are paid standard rates for weekends unless they work more than one in eight.
The Government has also slashed the pay rise for doctors – which was meant to compensate for the loss of weekend rates – down from 13.5 per cent to 11 per cent.
They also include new measures to help women junior doctors catch up on training after maternity leave.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt told the Commons yesterday the reformed contract would be ‘better for patients, better for doctors and better for the NHS’.