"UK Junior Doctors' Historic Strike: A Standoff Over Pay and Working Conditions"
Junior doctors in England are on the second day of a six-day strike, demanding a 35% pay increase to restore lost wages over 15 years of below-inflation rises. Despite receiving two recent pay raises, the British Medical Association (BMA) argues these have not offset the real-term pay cut since 2008-09, considering current inflation. Talks between the BMA and the government have occurred, with the BMA willing to phase in the pay restoration over several years. A recent pay deal in Scotland, which included a 12.4% increase for 2023-24, has set a precedent, but differences in government and previous pay raises complicate the situation in England. The strike may prompt a return to negotiations, as there is a mutual recognition that prolonged strike action is unsustainable.