Junior doctors: back new strikes


Three 48-hour walkouts

  • Coordinated strikes and demo needed
Zoë Brunswick, medical student

Junior doctors have announced three fresh 48-hour strikes. Tory health secretary Jeremy Hunt’s scandalous decision to impose a dangerous new contract on them has already backfired.

The immense anger among junior doctors has translated into an increasing desire to fight back. Calls for escalating industrial action are echoed in emergency meetings of doctors’ union BMA across the country.

Johann Malawana, chair of the BMA junior doctors committee, had previously announced that “further industrial action is inevitable” and the union “will consider escalating any action to achieve our aim”. The strikes begin at 8am on 9 March, 6 April and 26 April.

Support

Public support remains high. Even hospital CEOs are dropping support for Hunt, with the vast majority stating they do not agree with imposing a new contract.

As it stands, junior doctors have the advantage. BMA members remain unified and determined, but Hunt’s unpopular decision to impose the contract has lost him even more support.

However, this attack against doctors is not isolated. It is part of wider, vicious attacks designed to break the NHS and pave the way for privatisation.

For this reason the Socialist Party fully supports pressing the advantage and escalating strike action. But other trade unions need to link up with the BMA to broaden the fight.

Workers across the NHS are facing attacks on pay and conditions. We call for health unions, particularly Unison and Unite, to coordinate industrial action with the BMA to prevent isolation.

A People’s Assembly march for health, jobs, homes and education is due in April, but the situation is urgent. The Socialist Party demands health unions and the Trade Union Congress call an emergency demonstration in March to support the junior doctors and defend the NHS.