A Junior doctor
As the fight for public sector pensions intensifies, unity in building the resistance is crucial. The message from the Con-Dems is clear in their final offer for public sector pensions – work longer, pay more, get less. Anger is growing amongst health workers already hit by pay freezes, job losses and an increasingly overstretched NHS.
This was reflected at a recent meeting called by the British Medical Association (BMA) in Portsmouth. There was unanimity amongst the 160 doctors there to call for industrial action short of strike in the BMA’s current consultative survey of members due to close this week. This was up from a third of doctors supporting industrial action short of strike in a similar meeting in the build-up to the 30 November strike.
This fight is not just about pensions. With companies such as the American consultancy firm McKinsey poised to take over profitable NHS services the Con-Dems are desperate to slash NHS workers’ terms and conditions to make them more attractive for takeover. This is despite the fact that the NHS pension scheme is set to deliver over £10 billion to the treasury in the next four years.
It is key that the BMA works closely with members of other health care unions to build a co-ordinated campaign to fight NHS cuts and privatisation.
