Latest news with #strikeAction
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Wes Streeting warns junior doctors that going on strike for six months over pay would 'choke' NHS recovery - as poll shows public support plummeting
Wes Streeting warned junior doctors today that strike action would 'choke' the recovery of the NHS as he urged them to vote against a walk out in a row over pay. The Health Secretary squared up to the British Medical Association as a new poll suggested support for industrial action by medicals is falling. Resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, in England are being balloted by the BMA for strike action which could last for six months. They are demanding a further 30 per cent uplift despite seeing their wages jump by 22.3 per cent last year. They have crippled the NHS by taking industrial action 11 times since 2022, forcing health bosses to cancel an estimated 1.5million appointments. But the British Medical Association is now threatening further walkouts unless Mr Streeting caves in again. But analysis by YouGov found that 48 per cent of Britons oppose the industrial action, while 39 per cent support it . YouGov said this 'marks a shift in opinion' of public support of striking junior doctors last summer, when the majority of Britons – 52 per cent – said they supported it. Writing in the Times, Mr Streeting said: 'We can't afford to return to a continuous cycle of stand-offs, strikes, and cancellations. 'Strikes should always be a last resort, and I don't think they are in anyone's interest today. 'I'm appealing to resident doctors to vote 'No' in the ballot, and instead continue the progress we've made, working together to rebuild our NHS.' Resident doctors said their pay has declined by '23 per cent in real terms since 2008'. If they choose to go on strike then walkouts could begin in July and could potentially last until January 2026. The Government accepted salary recommendations from pay review bodies earlier this month, resulting in an average 5.4 per cent rise for resident doctors. Writing for the newspaper, Mr Streeting stressed that 'we can't lose momentum', adding: 'There's so much more to do. But my message to anyone working in the health service is this: Stick with us. 'The NHS was broken, but it's not beaten. If we keep pulling together, we can turn it around.' A leading patients' organisation said it was 'deeply concerned' about the prospect of strike action over the busy winter period in the NHS. The Patients Association highlighted how previous strike action from doctors in training led to 1.3 million appointments, procedures and operations being postponed, with the true figure 'likely to be much higher'. BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said in a statement: 'Patients are all too aware how much the NHS relies on its resident doctors. 'With the announcement of yesterday's ballot, many will understandably be concerned about how future strike action might affect them getting care but it's important to stress that strike action is not inevitable and can be avoided. 'The Government has the power to honour its previous commitment to map out and restore doctors' pay, avoiding strikes entirely. 'We're confident that patients will recognise that the value of doctors has not diminished since 2008, but that working conditions and pay have. 'Wes Streeting must now step forward with a solution that allows us to stay with our patients, off the picket lines, and remain in this country rather than being driven to seek work abroad where doctors' unique skills and expertise are more appropriately valued. 'As the population ages and care becomes more complex, we need to make sure we retain doctors in the UK.' The ballot will close on July 7.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Junior doctors are losing public's support over latest strike threat, poll reveals
JUNIOR doctors are losing the public's support over their latest strike threat, polling has shown. The hospital medics have this week started a ballot for a fresh wave of walkouts after being offered 5.4 per cent extra pay — despite getting a 22 per cent rise last year. 2 But public support for strikes has fallen from 52 per cent last summer to 39 per cent, in what pollsters from YouGov called a 'shift in opinion'. The British Medical Association called ministers' latest offer woefully inadequate. It says members will not wait for a stronger economy to get another bumper rise. More than a million appointments were cancelled in the last industrial action in 2023 and 2024. Rachel Power, chair of the Patients Association, said: 'More than 1.3million appointments were cancelled or rescheduled due to previous strike action and the total is likely to be much higher. 'It causes significant distress, pain and worsening health for patients, while placing additional pressure on remaining NHS staff. 'We respect resident doctors' right to take industrial action and we urgently call on the BMA and Government to intensify meaningful negotiations before the ballot closes on July 7. 'Patients have already suffered too much.' BMA leaders Dr Melissa Ryan and Dr Ross Nieuwoudt said: 'Many will understandably be concerned about how future strike action might affect their care but it's important to stress that strike action is not inevitable and can be avoided. 'We're confident that patients will recognise that the value of doctors has not diminished since 2008, but that working conditions and pay have. ' Wes Streeting must now step forward with a solution.' Junior doctors branded 'irresponsible and dangerous' as they stage 11th strike with 5-day walkout 2
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
How long will Streeting hold out against the most militant union in the land?
Militant trade union action has become far less commonplace than it used to be. But one organisation remains as hard line as ever: the British Medical Association (BMA). It sent out ballot papers this week to junior doctors urging them to back strike action in support of a 25 per cent pay demand. Now known as 'resident' medics, they are threatening months of disruption despite seeing their pay jump by 29 per cent in just three years. During a recent protracted dispute they stopped work 11 times and forced the cancellation of an estimated 1.5 million appointments. It is unconscionable that the BMA is now prepared to inflict further misery on the public, most of whom have not seen anything like the pay rises enjoyed by its members. The doctors profess to cherish the NHS, yet by their actions they cut away at its ability to cope with financial and population pressures. When appointments are cancelled or operations postponed, patients have to go back to square one, often involving another trip to a GP for their treatment to be rescheduled. How many drop out at that point? The backlog of cases remains above seven million with no chance of a significant reduction if there is another dispute. The public, who might have had some sympathy for the doctors in the past, have evidently lost patience judging by recent opinion polls. Labour has made a rod for its own back by giving inflation-busting pay rises to others in the public sector. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, made much of the Tory failure to settle this dispute when he was in opposition. Now the boot is on the other foot. How long will he hold out against the most militant union in the land?
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
No-confidence vote in University of Lincoln bosses is passed
A union representing academics has passed a vote of no confidence in the senior leadership team at the University of Owen Clayton, branch chair of the University and College Union (UGU), said a ballot on strike action was also being comes after the university announced in April that nearly 300 jobs were at risk.A spokesperson for the university said there was a "clear vision and plan" amid the financial pressures facing UK universities. The union branch represents all 1,500 academic staff at the university, whether they are members or not, said Dr said the vote of no confidence was in response to "the direction the university is going in and the decisions that have been made".He added: "They are talking about cutting up to 285 jobs... but they are also talking about changing the nature of the university, saying that certain parts of the university don't matter anymore and we can get rid of them."He said the cuts would fall across a number of areas, including the Lincoln International Business School, the history department and the Eleanor Glanville Institute – an equality, diversity and inclusion institute that works to inform policies and practices at the the ballot, the union called on the university's board of governors to act."We want [them] to do something because the staff don't have confidence in their leaders anymore," Dr Clayton described the relationship with university leadership as "acrimonious" but added that the dispute would end if compulsory redundancies were ruled out."If they don't, we could be looking at strike action over the summer but also at the start of the next semester," he said. 'Careful management' A university spokesperson said: "As winner of the Queen's Anniversary Prize and one of the few UK universities to hold triple gold status in the national Teaching Excellence Framework, the university has a clear vision and plan to keep delivering for our students and communities amid the financial pressures facing UK universities."A recent report from the Office for Students predicts nearly half of universities will return a financial deficit in 2024/25. We expect to achieve a break-even position due to careful management of finances over the past two years."The changes we are making now are key to adapt to the new higher education landscape."The university said the board of governors had "full confidence" in the senior leadership team. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Canada Post on strike right now? Here's the latest on union negotiations
Last week, Canada Post received a strike notice from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) that was set to begin on May 23 if an agreement could not be reached. While the deadline to strike has passed, the union instead has implemented a nationwide overtime ban while negotiations continue. The ban went into effect last Thursday and is still in place at the start of this week. Canada Post workers have been called on to refuse to work more than eight hours in a day and more than forty hours in a week. The overtime ban is a legal strike action and all CUPW members must follow this direction, according to the union. With negotiations ongoing between Canada Post and CUPW, here's what to know. On Sunday, the union responded to new offers sent by Canada Post last week. Canada Post will review the union's response in detail, it said in a news release. The response comes after both parties met with federal mediation and conciliation services at a facility just outside of Ottawa over the weekend, the union said. 'All of this was done through the standard process in mediation called: the integrative approach,' the union said. 'Documents and ideas exchanged during the integrative approach are confidential and cannot be used against that party at any subsequent arbitration or any other legal proceeding. This privacy allows both parties to talk about issues they may not otherwise entertain.' The union said it is still working on resolving issues such as wages, cost of living allowance, sick days, short-term disability program, workers compensation, compensatory time, relief staff, staffing, contracting out, weekend delivery, and part-time usage. The union said it was informed that Canada Post had left the facility to review the documents later on Sunday afternoon. 'We were told they may respond within a few days. We would hope the Corporation is back to us as soon as possible,' the union said. Meanwhile, Canada Post said it would 'respond in short order,' because it was 'now time for urgency,' after nearly two years of negotiations, a 32-day-long national strike in November of last year and the release of the final report of the Industrial Inquiry Commission. The report offers up recommendations on how the union and Canada Post can move forward. Although talks continue, the nationwide overtime ban remains in effect. The drawn out negotiations seem to be affecting Canada Post. 'The impact of the ongoing uncertainty on our business is significant, but the impact on the Canadian economy is greater,' the corporation said on Sunday. 'By the end of last week our delivered parcel volumes were down by 50 per cent over this time last year and continue to drop.' Alternative carriers have seen a surge in business inquiries as the uncertainty plaguing Canada Post and its workers looms, Financial Post reported. Stallion Express Inc., an e-commerce shipping service, told the publication that it has seen a 22 per cent spike in 'inbound inquiries and new-account requests.' Canada Post strike: What happens to the parcels already accepted? Canada Post, union disagree over taking 'five-minute wash-up time.' Here's what it is Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
