The strike wave has continued with junior doctors and hospital consultants in the BMA, the Society of Radiographers, RMT members in the Train Operating Companies and National Union of Journalists (NUJ) members in BBC local radio all taking strike action. Socialist Party members have been there in support.
Doctors
Tracy Jackson, consultant gynaecologist at St James Hospital, Leeds, told Socialist Party members: “I’ve been a doctor for 35 years and I’m sad it’s come to this. For me this is not even mainly about pay, it’s about the future of the NHS”.
Striking consultants at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary were getting a lot of support from passing motorists – including a taxi driver who held up the traffic while playing a tune on his pipe for them! Among the consultants there was a lot of discussion around the need to fight to save the NHS. One consultant told how cancer services were so overstretched, he even took his computer on holiday so he could ensure his patients’ notes were updated and dealt with. None of them held any hope that Starmer’s Labour would be any better than the Tories, and this included some who were Labour members.
Roger Thomas, Bristol Socialist Party, reports that on 17 July about 200 junior doctors and supporters marched through central Bristol from the Bristol Royal Infirmary to College Green. There was great support from the public applauding, and car and bus drivers sounding their horns. The doctors talked about their tremendous anger at the government’s non-offer to settle the dispute, and examples of the low pay and long hours expected of junior doctors. Speaking from the BMA, one doctor talked of the challenge the government has thrown down and how they intend to face them down to win a proper pay rise. Chants of “What do we want? Fair pay!” rang out from the marchers.
Rail workers
An RMT member at Tyseley West Midlands Trains depot in Birmingham told Socialist Party members: “There’s a hiring freeze on fitters so we hardly have any left on our team, but they keep bringing in new managers every few months. All these care about is their own jobs – and beyond that, the bottom line!”
Elaine Brunskill reports that RMT strikers at Newcastle Central Station were in a determined mood. They were aware that BBC journalists were also taking strike action, and made it clear they would not be giving interviews to the BBC in solidarity with NUJ members. There was also resounding support for Jamie Driscoll standing as an independent, following Keir Starmer blocking him standing as a Labour candidate in next year’s North East mayoral election. Strikers agreed that in order to support workers it is crucial that Jamie Driscoll stands on socialist policies.
Radiographers
Brighton radiologists shouted: “More staff, More pay, Then you can have your X-ray!” reports Penny Iveson. One said: “We do want more pay, but we care about the patients we can’t look after properly. The pay is so bad we can’t recruit and we can’t retain. So many staff are going private or going abroad where the pay and conditions are better. I can’t afford to live any more on what I get.”
Journalists
At BBC Leeds, the NUJ strikers chanted: “We shall not do news!”
