Thousands of junior doctors in the United Kingdom have begun a five-day strike after talks with the Labour government on pay failed to produce a breakthrough. The walkout, which started on Friday, follows the breakdown of last-minute negotiations on Thursday night.
The doctors, who are below consultant level, say their pay has eroded by more than 21 percent in real terms since 2008 and that they felt compelled to take action. Despite accepting a 22.3 percent pay rise spread over two years in September, they argue it falls short of addressing long-standing disparities.
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Health Secretary Wes Streeting have urged the British Medical Association to reconsider, warning that the strike risks harming patients and placing additional strain on the already overstretched National Health Service.
In a joint statement, the BMA’s junior doctors committee co-chairs insisted they were not working “21 percent less hard” and questioned why their pay should lag behind. Last year’s similar strikes led to widespread disruption, with thousands of appointments and treatments cancelled.
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