The document discusses the imposition of a new contract on junior doctors in the UK by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. It argues that the new contract threatens patient safety and the NHS as a whole. It calls on trade unions and the Labour Party to firmly support the junior doctors' strikes against the contract. The unions should join protests, picket lines, and consider strike action themselves to defend the right to collectively bargain terms and conditions. A united response is needed to save the NHS and prevent the government from imposing similar attacks on other unions.
The document discusses the imposition of a new contract on junior doctors in the UK by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. It argues that the new contract threatens patient safety and the NHS as a whole. It calls on trade unions and the Labour Party to firmly support the junior doctors' strikes against the contract. The unions should join protests, picket lines, and consider strike action themselves to defend the right to collectively bargain terms and conditions. A united response is needed to save the NHS and prevent the government from imposing similar attacks on other unions.
The document discusses the imposition of a new contract on junior doctors in the UK by Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt. It argues that the new contract threatens patient safety and the NHS as a whole. It calls on trade unions and the Labour Party to firmly support the junior doctors' strikes against the contract. The unions should join protests, picket lines, and consider strike action themselves to defend the right to collectively bargain terms and conditions. A united response is needed to save the NHS and prevent the government from imposing similar attacks on other unions.
Hunt last week announced that he was imposing a dangerous new contract on junior doctors. This is a threat to the whole NHSand a threat to the whole trade union movement. The new contract rips apart terms and conditions and puts patient safety at risk. The BMA was right to reject it. As Johann Malawana, chair of the BMAs junior doctor committee, said, Our message to the government is clear. Junior doctors cannot and will not accept a contract that is bad for the future of patient care, the profession and the NHS as a whole, and we will consider all options open to us. The Tories real aim is to force all NHS staff to accept reduced unsocial hours payments. This would also make the NHS more attractive to private firms to take over more services for a profit. The Tories thought that junior doctors, who hadnt previously gone on strike for 40 years, would be an easy taregt. They were wrong! The junior doctors are now in the front line to save the NHSeveryone should get behind them.
Threat
Hundreds of junior doctors have been
attending meetings this week to decide what action to take next in reponse to Hunts diktat. But the imposition of the junior doctors contract is a threat to the whole trade union movement and everyone fighting austerity. If the Tories get away with imposing a new contract on the junior doctors that worsens terms and conditionswho is next? What is to stop them doing the same to Unison members, or to Unite members or postal workers? There must be a clear and firm response to Hunts imposed contract from the whole trade union movement: The BMA should immediately announce more strike datesand the strikes should be longer with consideration of an indefinite strike.
Emergency protest at Dept of Health
The BMA should ask other unions
to join it in a mass protest outside the Department of Health. Every union must put out a clear call to all of its members to join any future junior doctors picket lines. These need to be mass mobilisations, with hundreds if not thousands of trade unionists joining each picket line. Every trade unionist should invite a junior doctor into a union or workplace meeting to explain their case and to lay the basis for much wider mobilisations of support for their strikesand every union branch should immediately send a message of support to the local junior doctors promising support for their fight. Every other health union should call on Hunt to rule out any attempt to reduce unsocial hours payments for their members and if he refuses, they should ballot for strike action. The TUC should call a national demo
in defence of the NHS and the right of
unions to negotiate and not have attacks on terms and conditions imposed by the employer and government. The Labour Party now needs to come out firmly in support of the junior doctors strikes. There is no room for neutrality when the fate of the NHS and the right of unions to negotiate freely is under direct threat. The junior doctors cant be left to fight alone. All out to build solidarity and to save our NHS!
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