Junior Doctors to Stage Six-Day Strike Over Pay and Job Dispute
Junior doctors in England are set to launch a six-day strike beginning April 7, intensifying an ongoing dispute with the Government over pay and working conditions.
The industrial action, announced by the British Medical Association (BMA), will run from 7:00am on April 7 until 6:59am on April 13, immediately following the Easter long weekend. It marks the 15th separate strike by junior doctors—now formally referred to as resident doctors—within the past three years, and is expected to be one of the longest to date.
Escalating Pay Dispute
At the center of the conflict is a demand by resident doctors for a 26% pay increase, which they argue is necessary to reverse years of real-terms pay erosion. The dispute has deepened following recommendations by the Doctors' and Dentists' Pay Review Body (DDRB), which proposed a 3.5% pay uplift for doctors.
Union leaders have criticized the recommendation as insufficient, warning that it risks prolonging a cycle of declining pay relative to inflation.
Strong Mandate for Continued Action
In February, BMA members voted decisively to extend industrial action for an additional six months. More than half of eligible members participated in the ballot, with 93% voting in favor of continuing strike action on a turnout of 53%.
Breakdown in Negotiations
Speaking on behalf of the BMA Resident Doctors Committee, chairman Jack Fletcher said negotiations with the Government had initially shown promise but had recently stalled.
“We have been negotiating in good faith for weeks to try and end the simultaneous pay and jobs crises for resident doctors,” Fletcher said. “However, progress has been undermined in recent weeks as the Government shifted its position.”
He noted that proposals to spread pay increases over a three-year period, combined with the DDRB’s modest recommendation, would leave doctors facing continued financial stagnation.
“Our objective has always been pay restoration. Any offer that does not substantially move us toward that goal is simply not acceptable,” he added.
Concerns Over Workforce Retention
Fletcher also highlighted broader concerns about workforce retention, warning that continued pay erosion could drive more doctors to seek employment overseas.
“With economic indicators pointing toward sustained inflation, we cannot accept a deal that locks in further pay decline,” he said. “Doctors are already leaving the UK for better opportunities abroad.”
Despite the escalation, the union has signaled that it remains open to dialogue.
“No strikes need to happen,” Fletcher said. “But the Government will need to act quickly to prevent them.”
Government Stance and Calls for Mediation
The dispute appears unlikely to be resolved imminently. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has previously indicated that the Government cannot offer further pay increases, suggesting that the strike is likely to proceed as planned.
Meanwhile, hospital leaders have urged both sides to return to negotiations, potentially with the involvement of independent mediators, in an effort to break the deadlock and avoid further disruption to healthcare services.
English (United States) ·